Fresh Start at Life
by Nature9000
Summary: Trina has lived her life to please, hiding who she is for fear of her family's disapproval. She forges a path for herself and moves away to a university where she can start over, but her plan is halted when she runs into a man with the power to break through her thick shell. Can she accept who she wants to be, or push away the one person who can restart the fire in her heart?
1. Burning Bridges and Building Hope

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 1 (Burning Bridges and Building Hope)

"Come on." Trina stammered breathlessly in her darkened bedroom, her face lit only by the luminescence radiating from the laptop. The sound of her fingers moving fervently over the keys filled the air around her. "Come on, please." She tapped the side of the computer and waited with baited breath as the screen refreshed to show the community college _webadvisor_ page.

_Final Transcript received by University._

"Yes!" She slapped her hand over her mouth, gasping softly as her eyes flew to the door. She'd received her Associates Degree and was well on her way to getting to her University of choice. Satisfied, she moved her fingers back to the keyboard and typed her university in the address bar.

_Midwestern State University_

She could hardly contain her excitement, she was all set to start her classes in the fall semester. When she logged in to the Midwestern Portal, she prided herself over her choice of major. _History_ with a minor in Criminal Justice. All of her courses were set and paid for, so there was nothing to worry about.

Her family was expecting that she'd be going to a different college-somewhere up in New York or New Jersey. Midwestern was in Wichita Falls, Texas. Her parents didn't care where she went, and her dad simply put the money in a bank account designated for her college expenses. He didn't bother to ask about it-only asking how much it was going to cost and put it in. The only interest he ever took in her college was to tell her she should go into medicine like her mother.

She hated nursing. There was absolutely no sense in her going into the field just because it 'earns money'. To think, that was his least offense. The greater source of conflict was with her sister, though. She found it ironic how quickly things changed the minute that girl hit Hollywood Arts-but those days were history now.

All that mattered to her, all she could see was Midwestern and the goals she had ahead for her life. No more abuse, whether verbal or physical, no more being controlled or told what to do or how to act. She was a grown woman for Christ's sake! She deserved to live her fucking life without being pushed around and told how wrong her every thought was!

She was done now, all she had to do was gather her things together and get ready to move into her apartment on the campus. For the first year she'd have to pay out of state fees, but that was perfectly fine. She could find a suitable job somewhere and deal with any extra expenses if she had to.

In this case, it was necessary to plan for the possibility that her mother would figure out eventually that she wasn't going to college to be a nurse and would cut her off financially-as she so threatened to do-so she had already applied for scholarships, grants, and was fully prepared to take out student loans in the future if need be. Hell, if she could be granted a full ride, it would be amazing.

It was necessary to expect the worst and plan for the worst.

To the naked eye, the uninvolved, it looked like another case of jealousy. Maybe that's what it was, but everyone only saw the surface. They saw her feeling shunted by her sister's rise and popularity, they saw her insulted by her sister's friends, but that was such a small issue that if it were the only issue, Trina wouldn't have to make her escape in such a way.

No, the situation was more dreadful than anyone saw. Even the counselor at the community college told her that she needed to find an environment healthier for her-to get away from her family. Now. Family did not just apply to immediate relatives. It was her rich, high-and-might aunts and uncles, her perfectly happy and successful cousins. It was her abrasive and violent grandfather and her grandmother that allowed the crotchety old man to 'speak his opinion' Of course, opinion meant his opinion was 100% right and nobody else should have a solid thought in their mind because they wouldn't know what the _fuck_ they were talking about.

It was her absentee father who didn't give a rats ass about her over his goddamn judgmental wife that had to stick her nose in everything or his greatest pride and joy-Victoria.

Tori didn't even belong to him. No, Trina was his biological daughter, his only daughter. Her mother, her real mother passed away a long time ago. He remarried to the ex-wife of his best friend, who just so happened, to still be fucking her every other weekend! It was only fair, wasn't it? Tori was her step-sister, after all, and David seemed to prefer his step family as opposed to his blood-so Trina was going to let him have them.

She'd still be in communication-though her guidance counselor warned her against it, especially considering what she was willing to do.

_"Just be sure it's what you want," the raven haired woman stated softly while clutching her clipboard in between her fingers. Trina pressed her lips together and moved a tissue to her eyes._

_ "Things got to a point I tried to stay with my grandparents. Grandpa ended up shouting at me over something so trivial-"_

_ "What was it?"_

_ "I don't know, some food." Trina took a deep breath and tossed her tissue into the nearest wastebasket. Her chest grew tense and her eyes heavy. "Tried to talk to my aunt about it but all she wanted to say was 'maybe you should listen to your grandpa more.'" She let out a loud scoffing chuckle and threw her hands into the air. "Right! Listen to the old buzzard that used to shove me around when I was younger and push me into counters because I didn't agree with him." Trina pat her hand on her knee and glared into the woman's eyes. "Do I want to leave my family behind? Yes, I do."_

_ "If you burn bridges away, they may never be repaired."_

_ "I want a goddamn life!" Trina moved her hands to her chest, screaming at the top of her lungs, unaware the woman was only trying to help. She understood what she was saying, but she honestly didn't care. "I want to be happy for once. I'm sick of being pushed around, sick of not being able to talk to my own family about how I feel without being told I'm stupid or ungrateful for feeling the way I do…I don't give a shit if I talk to these people again. I want a life for myself."_

_ "Okay." The woman smiled gently and wrote something down on the clipboard. Trina's gaze fell onto the moving pen and her lip trembled nervously. "Just keep in mind, it's going to be hard for you to just leave them. You may find yourself missing them, and if you plan to keep in contact like you say you are…"_

_ "Well it's not like I have choice. Once I'm out of college, once I've got a career set for myself, I'll be ready one hundred percent to cut them off." _

_ "I can't advise you to burn that bridge and I can't advise you against it. Only you can do what you feel is right-what I can do is tell you what I think. I think you need to be in an environment where emotionally, physically and mentally you are in a better position health wise. You need to be where you feel you're safe, with people you feel you can trust, and away from an abusive environment."_

_ "Mom-or should I say Holly-tells me I should just suck it up and take what's dealt to me."_

_ The therapist wagged her pen in the air, moving it in a circle and pointing to Trina. "You don't have to accept abuse, Trina. You don't have to accept any situation that makes you feel unsafe. Do what's best for yourself, but also do it with a grain of salt. Don't do something spontaneous, give it thought."_

_ "I've given it plenty of thought. I've already been accepted to Midwestern, I just have to send them the final transcript and move in to the Sunwatcher Apartments on campus."_

_ "Then that's what you need to do. It's away from the unhealthy environment, it's likely safer. Will you be able to find a counselor on campus?"_

_ "I should be able to."_

_ "All right, I hope you will pursue counseling." Trina smiled back at her and nodded rather abruptly. She was going to do her best to look for a counselor, because at the very least, she would still need some guidance. _

_ "I'll look around. I think there's plenty of counselors there-including some psychologists. Though I don't think I'm that screwed up…"_

It was never her intention to burn bridges-it was her whole intention to give herself a fresh, clean start in life, and Midwestern State University was going to be that bit of solid ground she could gain her footing in. Wherever she went after this, she didn't know, but she was willing to go wherever the world was willing to take her.

"Trina?" Trina instantly closed her laptop and flew under the covers as her bedroom door opened up. Tori's voice drifted through the air, falling onto her like soft silk. "Are you still awake? I thought I heard something. I was hoping you'd give me your opinion about something."

She wanted to answer, but was skeptical of the girl's intentions. Tori almost never came to her unless she needed something. Anytime she tried to start a conversation with her, she was ignored.

After a few minutes of silence, Tori took a deep breath and moved her hand to her hip. "I guess you're asleep then, I'll ask Jade tomorrow. It wasn't all that important, just something about a song I wanted to sing. By the way, I'm going to take a shower first thing, the water heater's on the fritz, so we won't have a lot of water tomorrow."

She rolled her eyes and pulled the covers up further, burying her face into the blanket. Knowing Tori usually took thirty minute showers, she didn't have to guess she would be showering in cold water if she wanted a shower. It was pretty rare for anyone in this family, immediate or extended, to think of anything but their own luxuries. It disgusted her.

"Goodnight, Trina. Talk to you tomorrow." The hallway light disappeared as the bedroom door clicked shut. Trina sat up with a start, folding her hands over the blanket and turning her narrow eyes onto the door. Her features sank and her shoulders sloped downwards.

"Yeah, talk to you tomorrow." She sneered and closed her eyes, feeling the stab of pain in her heart. "I won't need to explain myself, it isn't like anyone in this family would understand where I'm coming from."

Within the week, she was packed and ready to go. Her father was the only one to see her off to the airport, but he drove in a strong silence. Every so often, she'd catch him glancing over at her, only to see him look away.

They stopped before the terminal and gave her a brisk hug. "I don't know why they're making you board another plane in Texas, but I suppose you'll be fine."

"Yeah." She smiled one last time at him and took a step back when the stewardess announced the fight beginning to take off. "You uh, have fun with Tori and Holly."

"She's your mom too," David stated softly.

"Step-mom, Dad. And besides, if she were that much of a mother-she'd be here to see her daughter off."

"Trina, now that's not fair." David lifted his hand up and Trina shrugged. His eyes closed and a heavy sigh fell from his lips. "Let's not argue now, okay?"

"Nobody's arguing except you. Goodbye, Dad."

"Trina."

She turned away and hurried onto the plane where she was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people on board. Her nerves poked her like millions of tiny needles. All sorts of sounds surrounded her as she walked to her seat, whether it was a baby crying out or an old couple laughing over some stupid piece of technology.

Once at her seat, she gazed out the window to see her father watching the plane. His brow was furrowed and frown lines had formed at the corners of his mouth. She moved her hand to the window and leaned forward, feeling a heaviness descending upon her eyes.

For a split second she almost contemplated running off the plane and into his arms. Her heart began to race as she studied his forlorn expression. His eyes locked with hers and his eyebrows rose, but before anything could happen, he looked down to where his phone had been on his hip.

Perplexed, she leaned back and moved her eyebrows together. He promised her he was going to keep the phone off so he wouldn't answer if Holly or Tori called about something. When he walked away, the phone glued to his ear, she remembered her mission.

This was about her, her legacy and betterment of her life. Trina crossed her arms as the stewardess announced take-off. Reclining back in her chair, the words of her relatives haunted her-poisoning her mind.

_"Of course I know better than you!" Her grandfather, George taunted, "I'm eighty years old! You're just a young girl that doesn't understand the world."_

_ "Just cut your granddad some slack," Aunt Dina rolled her eyes and waved her hand through the air. "Your grandparents have done a lot for you. Remember when you had that karate tournament and your parents couldn't make it? Who was there for you? Your grandpa."_

_ "Don't be ungrateful," Grandma Rose wagged her finger at her, "He's been good to you too. You should also be thankful you have a mother and father to go home to, a roof over your head. When I was young, I didn't have that luxury."_

_ "Just do as I say," Holly spoke sternly, "I know what's best. So does your father. Do you know he does everything for you? All you do is complain that he's never there for you, so quit acting like an undeserving brat for once. You know, you're the one causing all the problems in this family."_

_ "I'm busy," David muttered as Trina attempted to present something she'd found that reminded her of her time with him when she was just a young child. "I don't have time to go over this. Maybe another time…I'm sorry, Trina."_

_ "You could spend less time complaining about mom and dad," Tori said while applying some makeup to her face before some big audition she was going to. "It's a two way street."_

_ "So I should just ignore the fact that they never have any time for me and keep doing what I'm doing, which is trying to be a part of their lives?"_

_ "Look Trina, just…I don't know what to tell you. The more you complain, I guess the less they want to be involved in your life."_

_ "Oh, thanks." Tori snapped her head up and looked over her shoulder, calling out as Trina proceeded to leave the room._

_ "I didn't mean it like that!"_

Riding the taxicab down Midwestern Parkway, Trina's eyes widened in awe as they came upon Louis J. Rodriquez Drive. Her heartbeat pounded in her chest and her sweaty fingers embraced the door handle as eagerness and excitement swelled her heart.

"Finally." They turned onto Louis J. Rodriquez Drive, and soon, the emblem of hope and opportunity was within reach. Her breath fell from her lips as the driver stopped before the housing entrance for the Sunwatcher Apartments on the corner of the street.

Peering across the street, she was enamored with all the large, brown buildings. In the distance, there was a dorm-the McCullogh-Trgg dormitory that faced her from the left as well as facing a large parking lot. She knew the Killingsworth Dormitory was on the other side of that-and it was where all the freshmen and sophomores stayed.

In her case, because she had an Associates and considered to be of the Junior level, she was able to snag the apartments. Also across the street from her was a curvy and red paved walkway that led to patch of grass and another building ahead from her.

The Clark Student Center.

She would have more time to explore the campus later, however. Her attention was quickly snapped away when the taxi driver honked his horn and waved at her. "Ma'am, would you like help with your bags?"

"No thanks, I'm fine." She couldn't carry them all herself, but she was told by the people at Sunwatcher that the RAs there would be more than willing to help her move in. There were other people around her who had their families helping them to move, for a moment it made her sad to think that she was alone-despite it being for the best.

Trina turned to the doors and moved her hand up to the back of her head, scratching gently as she studied the large white doors. "This is it," she remarked under her breath. "The start of the rest of my life."

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There is a bit of a personal reason as to why Holly and Tori are Trina's step family. It is not some random decision I decided to do. Enjoy!


	2. Settling In

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: As always I'll give you the second chapter now so you can get a better feel of it.

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Chapter 2 (Settling In)

In the apartment room, Trina stood in awe of the place. It was a four bedroom, but she had not yet met the other three roommates. To her left was the hallway where two bedrooms and a bathroom were-this was where two of the roommates would be. In front of her was another doorway leading to a small square that was bordered by three doors-two bedrooms and one bath. Her bedroom was the far one.

To her right was a kitchen with a stove, oven, sink, pantry, and even a washer and dryer on the opposite side of the fridge. The living area was across from the kitchen and had a window to let the sunlight in, a brown couch with a chair and end table positioned on each side of the couch, and a television that faced it.

"Better make myself at home." She dragged her remaining suitcase into the bedroom and decided to leave the door open on the chance her roommates swung by. Already she'd spoken with them on Facebook because Midwestern's Housing gives out the roommates with the housing assignment. One of them she requested herself.

Lindsay was the reason she was at Midwestern. Lindsay Peters was an old best friend of hers that moved away when Trina was fourteen. She was the friend that Tori once said in recent years that 'didn't like her'. That had been correct, when Lindsay heard she was looking for a University, she was the first to promote Midwestern and say that one of her roommates was finishing up their semester.

There was a brown desk positioned in front of the window that faced the bedroom door and was three feet away from the left wall. On that left wall was a small television stand with a TV on it. The campus did _not_ provide the stand or television, students had to buy those themselves, and Lindsay already told her she'd bought it for her.

To her right was a bookshelf sitting beside the desk and against the right wall, and a bed positioned with its side against the front wall and head against the right. The bed was the current holder of all the items she had with her-which included her alarm clock, laptop, clothing, bathroom supplies, and so on.

Trina moved the laptop carefully onto the desk and plugged it into the nearby outlet. She brushed her hands along her hips while waiting for the computer to turn on.

Once it was on, she took a seat at the desk chair and logged onto Facebook. Her father didn't have an account since he didn't believe in it, Holly had an account but didn't get on it, and Tori had an account. As did Aunt Dina, Aunt Sonya, and all of her cousins. Sarah, Jonah, Danielle, Jake and Justin. Her uncles also didn't have Facebook, they didn't want their information out there for the world to see. Her grandfather was a technophobe, and her grandma didn't understand Facebook much.

There was nobody acknowledging her move to college, though Aunt Dina left a message on her Facebook saying she hoped that Trina would put her all into college now.

Tori was on the chat bar, so Trina popped up the message window, hoping that the girl might answer. She typed swiftly on the keyboard, alerting Tori that she'd arrived and was just settling in. Within five minutes, a small 'seen' checkmark appeared beneath the message-but no response came.

A new message popped up from Jade West, asking her if she'd gotten to the college safe due to the plane going through inclement weather. "Everything was fine," Trina answered back, "I'm just settling in now." Her plane hadn't actually gone through rough weather, it was the plane that was supposed to be going to the _other_ college that had. Thankfully that plane did not crash, otherwise she'd be in a tough situation.

"Good luck at the University, then." Jade was perhaps the only one of the friends that had eventually started talking to her on a more friendly level. She was the one that recommended the guidance counselor that Trina had been seeing at the community college, since that counselor was one of her father's former coworkers and he praised her very highly. "Oh, I forgot, that wasn't your plane…"

Her brow furrowed and her fingers curled above the keyboard. With a deep breath, she lowered her hands down and typed out her response. "Right, I went to the university _I_ wanted to go to, not the ones my family thought I should attend. Besides, Midwestern is cheaper-costs are only about ten thousand dollars per semester here. The other place was practically thirty."

"Wow. What are you telling your dad the costs are, then?"

"Ten thousand." She may not like that her dad never gave an interest in her life, but she wasn't going to lie to him about money because of it. "Or well, whatever the college says my expenses are."

"What classes are you taking this semester?"

"Intro to Criminal Justice, History since 1865, Western Civilization, and Art Appreciation." Her eyes flickered to the chat box with Tori and her heart sank, the girl still hadn't responded. She closed it down with a heavy sigh and returned her focus to Jade. "Anyway, Lindsay and the roommates should be around soon."

"All right. Good luck out there, keep in touch every now and then, I guess. Also, if you're really wanting to separate from your family, having them still on Facebook isn't helping."

"They'd ask too many questions if I just removed them, and I'm depending on my father to pay through at least the first two semesters. Unless of course Holly whips him into not paying anything-which wouldn't surprise me."

"What will you do then?"

"I don't know. Just hope it doesn't come to that, but I'll figure something out." She moved her hands away from the computer and looked over her shoulder when she heard the front door open. A woman with short brown hair stepped inside. She was a bit taller than her and wore a purple shirt with long brown pants.

Excited, Trina got up from her chair and moved forward just as the girl looked up from the purse she'd been fidgeting with. "Trina!"

"Lindsay!" Lindsay ran forward and the girls met each other with a hug. After a second, Lindsay stepped back and put her hands to her hips, giving Trina a joking glare.

"Now how come you didn't text me that you got here already?"

"You were at work?" Trina laughed and Lindsay shook her head, smirking back at her.

"So how are you liking it so far? Have you seen the campus yet?"

"No, I just got here. I love the apartment!" Trina looked past her to the doorway close to the front. "So where are the others?" Lindsay removed her purse from her left shoulder and set it down on the kitchen counter.

"Michelle's at one of the SGA meetings." That was the Student Government Association. Trina's eyebrows rose as her friend rolled her eyes. "She's not even on the board and she attends those things like more than the SGA Secretary does! I don't know anyone else on campus that attends their meetings that regularly." Lindsay turned around and propped her elbows on the countertop. "As for Francine, she's out with friends today. She's not around here very often, you'll see her through the semester probably, but you might also see Michelle more-and that girl keeps herself plenty busy." Lindsay bowed her head and laughed. "I swear she's a part of every political group and organization on campus."

"Wow. Maybe that's her major?"

"It is-political science. I think Francine is actually into nursing." Trina felt her stomach flip and shivered at the thought.

"Man I can't stand hospitals. I'd make a terrible nurse!" Lindsay curled her finger over her chin and turned her lip up into a subtle smirk. "What?"

"You still squeamish at the sight of blood?"

Her skin crawled as she visualized a puddle of blood. "Yes." It wasn't like she got sick if she saw a simple cut or bruise-she was a martial artist after all-it was the more grotesque and copious amounts of blood that gave her the chills and shakes.

"Then you wouldn't make it as a nurse. Why did your parents what you to be a nurse so badly?"

"Mostly it was mom, and she works at a hospital-so she just wanted me to follow her footsteps. She thinks it's the only job in the world that can make money." She moved into the kitchen and studied the black coffeemaker. "Whose coffeemaker is this?"

"Mine, but I let everyone use it, so go ahead and fill it up if you want some coffee."

"Thanks." She grabbed the coffee pot and turned on the sink. "So what's your major again, Lindsay?"

"Oh I still want to be a Martial Arts Instructor-so Kinesiology is what I'm majoring in." Trina was impressed and happy to hear Lindsay was still into that particular craft. She'd been the one to pull Trina into martial arts, after all. Lindsay leaned over the counter and clasped her hands together, smiling brightly at her. "So it's great to see you again!"

"I know, it feels like it's been forever!" She turned on the coffeemaker after filling it up with ground beans. Trina moved over to Lindsay and gave her another hug. "So how's your brother? What's he doing?"

"He's in the army and is working for the recruiter's office in Dallas." She was stunned by the news-she never imagined Lindsay's older brother going into the military. The last time she saw him he was so thin and weightless. "So yeah, he's doing well for himself."

"Impressive." The smell of fresh coffee brewing was tantalizing her, filling her with anticipation. She looked over to the coffee pot and started to smile. "When that's done, I think I'm going to go walk around the campus a bit."

"All right. I actually need to finish up on a project I'm trying to put together for work, but later today the martial arts club is getting together. Would you like to come?" Trina's heart jumped up and she agreed without question.

"Of course! Besides, it'll give me something to do rather than sit around all day. I got my black belt two years ago, by the way."

"Sweet! So, I'll look forward to seeing you there?"

"Yes, where's it at?"

"The Cotton Patch Café across from the Walmart, I'll give you directions."

"Okay." The coffeemaker signaled its completion and Trina hurried over, craving the wondrous elixir. Lindsay pushed herself up and laughed.

"I'll leave you to that, I need to get started on my project if I hope to finish it by tonight." Trina waved her off as she poured the drink. When she looked over, she was pleased to see that Lindsay was her direct room neighbor.

After pouring the coffee, she walked into her bedroom and glanced at the computer, still open on Facebook. Her sister hadn't ever replied, and none of her other relatives were saying anything. This was all well and good for her, she wasn't going to let them reel her back in only to kick her when she was down.

"Time to see the campus." She sipped her coffee and closed her door, locking it with her room key. Classes wouldn't start for a couple of days, so as much as she anticipated their beginning, she was going to have to think of ways to distract herself from that excitement.

At the same time, she was nervous-if not scared-because this was a whole new experience for her. She wanted to succeed in college, but a university was much different and frightening than a simple community college. Nervous jitters aside, she was confident in her ability to make A's this semester.

At least this time, she wouldn't have to hear her grandfather's constant hounding about how she 'could do better' on a project. Growing up, with him it was always; if you made a 90, you should have made a 100. Nothing was ever good enough for the old buzzard.

She wasn't here to impress him, she wasn't here to make her father proud of her, nor was she here to make her family appreciate her. She was here, for the first time in her life, doing something for _herself_. That was all that mattered.

* * *

There's the second.


	3. Welcome to College

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 3 (Welcome to College)

Usually it was a requirement for new students to attend an orientation, but she was able to talk the registrar out of making her do so only because she couldn't fly in earlier. Because of this, it was her responsibility now to show herself around campus and learn everything there was to know. This meant, of course, the first building she was going to visit was the Clark Student Center.

In through the front doors she saw the Mesquite dining café, which was the first area to her right. This was where she'd be spending her required meal plan points at-which currently were the 14-meals per week option.

She handed the woman at the desk her card and gave her a pleasant smile, "I'm checking out the food for the first time." The woman swiped and returned the card to her.

"Great. So then, would you like me to tell you what you've got?"

"Please?"

"Okay. Monday through Friday we serve breakfast from seven to nine followed by the continental until ten-thirty. Lunch is from eleven to two, then dinner is at five until seven. On Saturday and Sunday, we only have brunch from eleven to one, then dinner at five to six thirty. Our menu is always changing so students get a variety every day."

"What's today?" She glanced anxiously at the dining area. There was a wall island that separated some seats, it was bordered by tables. There were two televisions with the news going. To her left was where everyone lined up to get their food-the café was a buffet with several different sections. Her stomach growled and her hand moved to her abdomen.

There were four stations: Comfort, Exhibition, Grill, and Pizza. All the smells delighted her, forcing her to fight to decide where she wanted to go first. "At the comfort section we have green beans, Creole fried Pollock, Herb roasted pork loin, vegetable blend, cornbread stuffing, potatoes, spiced carrots, and Roasted acorn squash. At the _Exhibition _station today we have South of the Border Enchiladas. The _Grill_ has Turkey hot dogs, a Gardenburger-if you're vegetarian, a hamburger, and French fries. At the _Pizza_ station today you have three options: Cheese, Barbeque Chicken, and Pepperoni."

"Thanks." Her mouth was watering and she was thrilled the woman was finally done, letting her run up to the first station and decide what she felt like having. _"Maybe a little bit of everything. God, I am going to get fat if I eat here…"_ It wouldn't hurt, she'd just work it off through exercise. Since she was with Lindsay again, it was likely she'd be doing a lot of martial arts stuff with her.

After about twenty minutes, she was out of the café with a full stomach, she chose from every station and was more than willing to not eat for the remainder of the day.

Walking down through the building, she turned the corner and saw an area with several tables-it was the food court. There was a pizza shop, then a large area which resembled a market and three different sections-a Grill stand, a Quiznos, and a smoothie stand. Each were tempting her to take a look, but she couldn't stand to eat another bite, so she kept walking past.

This building had a computer lab, a game room, and a hallway across from the information center. She waved at the man behind the information desk and continued walking until she found a counseling office. She made a mental note of this office and moved on farther down the hall until she found the Dean's office and the campus bookstore.

Upon entrance, the sound of a gentle classical music drifted to her ears. Her body relaxed as she eyed the shelves of books in the back, past the racks of clothing, the aisles of food and snacks. To her left, students were lining up for textbooks, to her right was a small _Java City_ stand with a kindred looking woman with long grey hair waving a greeting at her. She was pulled over and looked up at the menu.

"White hot chocolate? Mayan spiced…there's a lot of options…" She didn't know where to begin with the coffee or the hot chocolate. Since it was a cool morning, despite being August, and she already had some coffee, she thought it best to go for the hot chocolate. "I want to try the white hot chocolate."

"Would you like some whipped cream with that?"

"Yes please." She swayed to the right and looked over to the books. She was dreading textbooks, but knew she could find them on _Chegg_ a lot cheaper than she could at any college bookstore. "I just got here, I'm loving this place already."

"That's good to hear." She closed her eyes and listened to the soft whir of the machine. The aroma of the drink filled her nostrils and created a strong sense of calmness that she hadn't felt in some time. "Do you know your way around?"

"I'm kind of giving myself the tour, but now that I think about it, where's the Prothro-Yeager Hall? I need to actually meet my advisor in person."

"Oh!" The woman handed her the cup of hot chocolate then pointed out of the bookstore. "You know where the computer lab and rec center is?"

"Yes ma'am, I just passed those." She swept her hair behind her ear and brought the drink to her lips. When the hot liquid stabbed her tongue she pulled back quickly and chuckled as the woman looked over to her. "I need to drink that slower…" The woman nodded and pulled her hand back.

"If you go through the hallway between the computer lab and rec center, you'll find the atrium where the disability services are. Keep going out the doors, and across the big circle is the building you're looking for. There should also be a sign inside that designates what faculty member is in what office. Okay, sweetie?"

"Thank you." She paid for her drink, then headed out. She made a mental note of the directions and stepped out of the doors on her right, so she could take a look at the buildings across the street. The Moffet Library was across from her, and had a walkway from the front door that was framed and bordered with trees. Diagonal from her was the Hardin Administration building.

This building had a large bell tower on it that overlooked the quad. Her heart lifted in her chest as the bell chimed the current hour. She could get used to hearing the whimsical chime. _"I'll look at the quad later. First I need to go see Dr. Hewitt…"_

Dr. Hewitt was her Major advisor, and while they spoke over the phone-with him having to deal with giving her the best possible planning over the phone, she was looking forward to meeting with him in person.

Trina retreated back into the building and went the way the lady advised her. When she stepped out of the atrium, she took a sip of her hot chocolate and grinned as she gazed up at the building across the way.

Dr. Hewitt was up on the second floor. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest while making her way to the department Chair's office. This was her advisor.

While on her way to his office, she passed the office of Dr. Lindemann, the instructor of two of her classes. In his office sat a man with short combed brown hair and a stern face with a heavy brow and deep eyes. He looked to be in his late forties to early fifties.

She paused in front of him and turned to his office, waving. The man curved half a smile at her and waved back. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Katrina Vega, I'll be one of your students this semester. I was just on my way to see Dr. Hewitt."

"Is he your advisor?"

"Yes."

"Good man."

"By the way, since I'm thinking about it, will we be needing _both_ of the textbooks listed under the portal?" Dr. Lindemann leaned his head against his closed hand and slowly nodded.

"The most important thing in my class is you listen to the lectures, but I will cover some material in both texts that you will need to know. Just to be safe, buy both of the textbooks."

"Okay, I'll do that."

The man checked his watch and snapped his fingers. "Best be going, Dr. Hewitt's hours end pretty soon." She leaned back and looked down the hall, then said her parting before rushing out.

Her advisor was an elderly man with wavy white hair and a big nose. His office was filled with books, files, and stacks of paper. There was a small space where the chairs were. "Hi Dr. Hewitt, I'm Trina." The man shook her hand, his cheekbones and thin cheeks rose with his eyebrows.

"Good to meet you. How are you liking the campus so far?"

"It's great, everyone here's so friendly."

"That's because the stress of the semester hasn't started yet." He laughed openly and Trina shifted nervously in her chair, holding onto her smile. "But in all seriousness, I wouldn't be surprised everyone here is friendly, we hope to create that environment for students. We would like you to be welcome here, not feel like you'd rather be anywhere else."

"If I can speak honestly, people here could be jerks and I'd probably prefer it." She let a laugh escape her and locked eyes with her advisor. "But the kindness is a plus, that's for sure."

"Right. So, we can get started on our first order of business?" He set his elbows on the table and tapped his fingertips together. "All of your classes have been set, there are no student holds on your record-did you find everything well with housing?"

"Yes, I've got the twelve month plan." So she would be staying through the summer. She would have to remember that during the spring she'd have to set her next lease because the lease would run out in August of next year. "How long do you think it will take to complete my bachelor's?"

"Let's see." He lifted up a manila folder. His gaze focused intently on what he was reading and his finger tapped absently on his chin. "With the required courses that you have, you should be able to finish within two to three years. You're not taking foreign language this semester?"

"No." She was frightened of having to learn a foreign language, but to her benefit she was Latina, so she knew some Spanish already and could just take Spanish as her required semesters. "I might take Spanish during the summer."

"You'll be here for a year, you won't be visiting family during the summer? Those summer classes are fast and very time consuming."

"Yeah, but I don't really plan on visiting family for a while. I'm also Latina, so I think I can do well in Spanish."

"Of course. You have spoken as well with your Minor advisor?"

"Yes, but Dr. Paddack said I don't really have to talk to him-the major advisor is more important."

"True, though it would be a benefit to see the him as well." He closed the folder and leaned back in his leather chair. "Are you prepared for classes?"

"Yes. I still have to order my textbooks, but everything is going smoothly so far."

"Do you have a semester calendar? You should keep one handy." She watched him open one of the drawers and pull a sheet of paper out. She reached out and accepted it graciously. She didn't plan on leaving campus at all during the semester, this included Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Trina peered down at the campus calendar and slowly folded it up. "It'll be useful thank you."

"Ah, another thing, as you progress through your degree, we offer internships with museums and other locations." She perked up and lifted her eyebrows, she was more than excited to hear the possibility of internships.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Leaving the office, she saw that she had a new voicemail on her phone from her grandfather. Her chest tightened as she moved the phone to her ear and furrowed her brow. Why was she bothering to check this message when she could just delete it? Not to mention, how was this guy the only relative calling?

_"Trina, hope you're settling in well," _George's voice echoed in her ear, filling her with nervous unease as she came to expect something bad to come out of the man's mouth. _"Your grandmother Rosa's been crying about what you said a few days ago about your family. If you don't think anyone gives a damn about you, then maybe you should stay at college and-"_

She clicked the phone off and narrowed her eyes at the screen. There it was, the blatant disapproval. What she'd told her grandma was not only in confidence, but a hope that maybe the woman would comfort her. Of course, her grandpa overheard and broke in saying that she needed to suck it up and get over whatever problems she 'thought' she had

Maybe the man could have a heart attack or something while she was at college, she didn't care. _"Don't you worry grandpa, I'm dealing just fine."_ She shoved the phone in her pocket and grunted while walking off.

That meeting tonight with Lindsay's martial arts club was looking extremely well right now. Thank god she had someone and a group as well to fall back on.

* * *

So that's pretty much the college introduction bit. i'm actually going to give you the next chapter because it will kind of kick into gear something else that's going to be a big part of Trina's process here at the university-SO the next chapter is what kind of kicks the story into gear-but i will have to wait just a little bit so I can work on finishing up some of the other stuff written wise. With Finals out of the way and everything, I have a lot of free time now...


	4. Summer Love

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 4 (Summer Love)

"So what have you been up to since I've been away?" Trina stopped as she entered the apartment, Lindsay's question startled her as she forgot the girl was still there. It seemed too lucid to be real, but then, many things in her life felt so unreal that it was hard to talk about. "Have you met any cute guys lately? Been working on that martial arts some?" Lindsay walked forward and playfully punched her shoulder. "Hope you're not rusty."

For one, certain events in her life happened that she couldn't tell even her family because she knew they'd disapprove as they always disapproved of her actions. She could never be herself, but as Lindsay suggested, there was a time when she didn't have to pretend. Even now, she forced a part of herself down as a force of habit.

"Well, I did go to a martial arts camp once." Lindsay put her hands to her hips. Trina smiled at a fond memory and closed her eyes. "Met this guy there-turns out he was visiting his uncle after he'd leave camp. I was seventeen, close to eighteen, and it was a summer camp."

"Ooh. Tell me more." Her friend's eyebrows rose and Trina's face grew red with heat. "Was it a summer love? Anything like that musical? Grease?" Trina's face went sour and she quickly shook her head.

"God no. I hate that movie." Lindsay laughed.

"You never were one for sappy love stories." She set down the folder she'd been given by her advisor and rubbed her lower back as she felt a slight bit of tension. She'd taken a jog around the campus, and in her excitement, had forgotten to stretch first. "So this guy you met at camp. You said he was visiting an uncle? Did you continue the relationship?"

"I would have liked to, he was the nephew of Tori's teacher." She had tried to get in to see Mr. Sikowitz one time to see if Jason was actually there, but Tori told her they'd all be busy at his house and didn't want her disturbing them. After that, she heard Cat dragged the man off. She was brokenhearted and never saw him again.

"What stopped you?"

"I guess we just went separate ways. He moved back in with his father." Trina turned on the water faucet and began running her hands under the sink, scrubbing them with soap. "We…had a lot of fun at camp. He was the one that taught me to, you know, be true to who I am and not to hide behind some person I'm not."

"Well that's good."

"Yeah, I still do that from time to time, though." She caught Lindsay's frown and stood up straight, shrugging her shoulders. "It's a force of habit. When you put on a mask for everyone, it's kind of hard to take it off."

"I can understand that." Lindsay reached over and turned off the sink, then handed Trina a towel from nearby. "So I hope you learned a lot at the camp. Got your training up to snuff." Her face went red once more and Lindsay squinted her eyes. "Why the blush?"

"Well I _did_ attend meetings, classes and all, but Jason and I…I guess you could say it was like those stupid whirlwind romances." She brushed it off with nonchalance, feeling rather proud of herself. As she turned away, her heart dropped and her lower lip tucked beneath her teeth. "Part of me wishes I'd kept in touch with him, but whatever. It was years ago."

"So. You describe him as a 'whirlwind', a guy that brought out, for a brief period, a part of you that you cover up-and that's all you're leaving me with? We did not stay apart for six damn years just so you could not give me details."

She chuckled under her breath and lifted her shoulders. "It's just something I don't like to talk about. Kind of like I don't like talking about my family." Not to mention, she was nervous about whether or not Lindsay would react negatively to knowing that she and Jason would often sneak off together at camp. "And camp lasted nearly four months."

There was a part of him that would always be with her. She never quite forgot the feel of his touch on her skin, or the coarse sound of his deep voice gracing her ears like a song. She was very much in love with him, but those days were over. "Does anyone else know about him?"

"Just one. Jade." Lindsay's jaw dropped as Trina moved towards her room. She felt a sudden gust of wind at her back and turned to see Lindsay stepping beside her, putting her hand on the door. There was a look of envy in the girl's eyes, mixed with a curious emotion of shock.

"Jade? As in Jade West? The 'Queen of Mean'?"

"Well, things happened to where we started talking. She came to me wanting to learn some martial arts for self-defense. One thing led to another, we found common ground, and became friends."

"Damn it feels like I missed out on a lot…"

Lindsay slouched and pouted her lip for a second, causing Trina to laugh. "Well you've always been my best friend, and now we're roommates. I'd say we're doing alright." Her friend's pout turned to a smirk. She quickly nodded and leaned up against the doorframe.

"Sure. Just don't forget, we still have to go to Cotton Patch and meet up with the martial arts gang."

"I'm definitely not forgetting that. Do they know I'll be there?"

"Yep. I told them my roommate's joining." Lindsay placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her confident gaze into Trina's. "And you are joining the club. As your best friend, I'm not going to sit by and let you become antisocial or being uninvolved in your college activities. There _is_ such a thing as studying too much."

"I don't get a say in this, do I?"

"Nope." Her friend pulled her hand away and flashed a toothy grin, causing Trina to break out in laughter. Lindsay really hadn't changed much, she was always trying to get Trina involved in various antics when she lived in LA. "We're going to get you on the right track. Hell, some of the club members even want to spar you already!"

"Really?" She leaned back suddenly and raised an eyebrow. "Why?" She studied her friend closely, watching as Lindsay slowly traced her fingers along the footboard of her bed.

"I might have told them that my roommate was a black belt, and some of the other black belts want to test your strength." She was a black belt, so there wasn't a problem with that. However, she didn't want to all of a sudden start sparring everyone. She wasn't that good anymore.

"Lindsay!"

"I couldn't help it!" She laughed nervously and shrugged her shoulders. "I got excited. I didn't tell them much about you, though. So they don't really know you that much. They just know you were my best friend and you're a black belt." Trina guided her hands to her hips, her foot started to tap the ground.

She was at a loss for words.

"Well it's a good thing," Lindsay stated, "They want to make friends. Even this one guy that's one of the black belts in class-thinks he's such a hotshot that he's almost confident he'd take you on in a sparring match."

"The guy doesn't even know me, why would he think he could beat me? Is he that confident?" Sure, the majority of the other black belts might be able to beat her if they trained more. It wasn't as if she were rusty, but she really hadn't been keeping to a tip top rule in regards to tuning her ability.

With that, Lindsay heaved a heavy sigh and turned away. "Well, he is a bit arrogant. He likes to say people view him as an asshole when they know he's right." She laughed at the comment, only to have Lindsay look at her as if she just exploded with confetti. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. That sounds like something the guy at that camp would come up with."

"Oh? Into assholes are you?" She paused when she saw Lindsay's smug face. "Well maybe you and he will hit it off." Lindsay stuck out her tongue and walked away. Trina immediately followed after her, knowing it was about time to leave.

"I didn't say I was into assholes exactly…but there is something about them that me out of my shell a little. I can't explain it, maybe it's just the challenge of trying to one up them." That was pretty much a big part of the relationship she had with Jason at camp. Granted it was a pure relationship, it wasn't all about sex or trying to get the better of the other, they had real feelings for each other.

"Yeah, yeah, well I don't think you'll like this guy too much. He has a tendency to think he's better than everyone else. He and I are on the same level, really." She opened the door, pausing to clear away her throat. "It doesn't help that he actually does win most of his matches…"

Trina laughed and Lindsay sneered in return. "So the guy has reason to be overly confident, cocky and almost an asshole." They walked out to Lindsay's car and Trina leaned over the hood, watching the girl unlock the vehicle.

"I guess. He tends to be right about some shit. He's clumsy, forgetful, and yet he's able to connect with some people on a personal level." Slipping into the car, Trina could feel a familiar urging within her that she couldn't place. She slid her hands along the tops of her knees and furrowed her brow while her friend continued to speak. "I don't know what it is-it's like he's a dick that likes to show off but he cares about people too. It's the whole reason we haven't kicked him out of the club."

"Interesting." Her heart began to pound, and for a second it became the only sound she heard before the engine started up.

"Well that, and the fact that he's the club president." Trina's eyes darted towards her friend, then out to the street. She watched the passing trees with an anxious silence growing inside of her. After a few seconds, she felt someone patting her shoulder. "You all right?"

She pulled back and shook her head, "Yeah no, I'm fine. Club president, you say? You could always vote him out if he was too much of a pompous ass."

"He may be an asshole, but he brings out the best in us." Lindsay turned the corner and looked into the rearview mirror, squinting her eyes. "The last president left the club in such a disarray-they never held meetings, never did activities like participating in the community, never had sparring matches or even tournaments. Everyone was so disconnected that when they elected our current president, people were sure the organization was going to disappear. He breathed fresh life into it, gave the club a-"

"A fresh start?"

"Yeah. I guess you could say that. Who knows, maybe you two will get along. I doubt it, but then again, it's been a while since you and I have really been able to talk."

"Yeah, that's true…"

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Trina could feel that sense of anxiety and nervousness rising up once more to strangle her. She'd never been so nervous to meet a group of people before, but it might have more to do with who the people was that she was meeting.

Inside the restaurant, she was enamored with the tender aroma of fresh cooked rolls and pies. The sound of footsteps and chatter filled the air, seemingly calming Trina's nerves.

In the center of the restaurant, she saw them, approximately ten or twenty college aged people reserving the restaurant for themselves. She stood frozen, studying them with her eyes while Lindsay moved forward to gain their attention.

At the booth against the wall overlooking the club and fixating his eyes on her and Lindsay was the club president. He was thin, but built like an ox. He had strong eyes, a slender nose and a chin with very light stubble. His hair was brown and wavy, just covering his ears. His arm hung loosely over the chair and his head tilted gently to the right.

The man's gaze beckoned her, but at the same time, sent a paralyzing sensation running through her. She was almost certain he didn't see her, or if he did, maybe he didn't recognize her. "You're late," came his cocky response to Lindsay, "I was about to start the meeting without you."

The statement struck her cold, forcing her mind to remember a memory once stored away. The familiar sentence, said with such a heavy tone was once that could easily set her heart on fire.

_"Damn you Jason, why the hell did you want to come out here today?" Trina pushed away the tree branches, scowling as she searched for the location Jason asked her to meet him at. The branch swung back, smacking her hard across the body. With a loud grunt, she stepped back and put her hand to her side. "When I find you, the things I'm going to do to you…"_

_ Growling, she pushed forward, her adrenaline was shooting out of control. Her chest heaved as she flung herself from the trees and into an open clearing. Finally she'd made it, but now all she could see was an open patch of grass with a circle of thick oak surrounding it._

_ "What the hell?" She breathed out slowly and turned around, practically bumping into Jason. Her eyes widened as his hands guided themselves to her waist and his lip tugged up into a playful smirk. "What was all that about, Jason?"_

_ "What can I say, I wanted to get a rise out of you." He tilted his head a slight bit to the right and his smirk appeared to deepen. She wanted to smack it off of him, but instead, returned with a smirk of her own. "Trina, you're late. I was about to start without you."_

_ "Oh really?" She raised her eyebrows and turned around, leaning back into his firm chest. She tilted her head back and sank into his arms. "I'd hate to see you satisfy yourself first, then you wouldn't have the energy to entertain me."_

_ "True…you do take a lot of my energy." She felt his tender lips on her neck and let her eyes flutter shut as a soft moan left her lips. "At least our coaches only think we're sparring, I'd hate to see you kicked out." _

_ "Less talk…" He laughed. She moved her hand up to the back of his head and broadened her smile as his fingers crumpled her uniform, slipping carefully beneath the fold. _

_ He clicked his tongue and lifted his lips from her neck. "What on earth would your father say?"_

_ "He wouldn't give a shit. Besides, it's not like he knows I'm okay with this. I trust you, I'm happy, I don't care about them."_

_ "Don't talk like that. You know deep down they probably care. They're still family." Unwilling to hear more she pulled his head down and kissed his lips while undoing the tie around her GI. Her uniform loosened and hung from her shoulders as the cloth tie fell towards the ground._

Trina shook her head, Lindsay's voice pulling her back into reality. She heard her refer to Jason as Tyler-but that made sense. His full name was Jason Tyler Sikowitz, and he had a tendency to go by Tyler as a last name more frequently than anything else. It didn't mean he was any less proud of who he was, though. That was one thing he was always about, preservation of self-identity.

"Late? Oh really?" His gaze snapped over to her and Lindsay followed the look with the rest. His face scrunched as his deep brown eyes focused on her. His bushy eyebrows rose as his slightly parted lips reminded her of an old desire. One that helped her forget her troubles for a time, so she could truly be herself without fear of underserved judgment.

Jason curled his fingers into his palm and furrowed his brow as Trina slowly brushed past Lindsay, locking her eyes with his. "Because I would so hate to see you satisfy yourself first, because then you won't have enough energy to entertain me. Mr. Club President."

He stammered for words, his face reddening as the club members muttered to themselves and Lindsay stared on in confusion. "T-Trina?" His lips closed and tugged up into a smile. She was delighted that he remembered her, but sad to see he'd been here this whole time and she never knew.

"You two know each other?" Lindsay inquired. Trina frowned at her friend, only to watch as realization swept across her face. Lindsay's voice lowered and her gaze drifted towards Jason. "No…you're shitting me."

"Alright!" Jason cleared his throat and clapped his hands together. "Lindsay and her…roommate…have arrived." He shifted in his seat and Trina continued to hold her gaze on him. "Let's talk about current events and all that." He was fumbling for his words, and it was showing. "It took them long enough to get here. I don't know about all of you, I'm starving-maybe we should make them pay for the meal?"

The corner of Trina's lip curled into her cheek and her eyebrows lowered together, she could see he was trying to act cool and play it off as nothing, but it was far too late for that.

Lindsay's eyes narrowed and her arms folded across her chest. "Oh you shut up. If anyone should have to pay-it's you. Also, on a side note, Jason…I want to talk to you." Jason looked up with an arched eyebrow as Trina glanced over to her friend. She was a bit taken aback by the sudden protectiveness, but was not surprised to see it in Lindsay still after all these years. "Away from the club."

"We can do that later," Jason waved his hand in the air and motioned to a nearby table. Strategically the empty table was within his line of vision. "Have a seat, ladies. It's time to discuss business, and the-um-new arrival…"

* * *

End Note-There is a reason the guy is Jason, I do not choose at random and I try to avoid OCs while also sticking with characters I have used because I know their profile better than I can build a new one. Each man that has been paired with Trina represents something she needs in that particular story, Jason's purpose is not any different in this. So, what are your thoughts on this chapter? Yes I know, I'm evil for stopping there, but don't worry the next will come soon enough.


	5. Torrid Exchanges

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: ALERT: Here's the reason I'm updating early is to tell you something. Also the reason I don't like to put a story up when I've only written the first three chapters-the story has evovled as I've written it. The plot is a little different (As you'll see by the summary) There's a bit more intricacies as well with the characters. And a sort of unseen force as an antagonist while as well as Uncle Sikowitz may be a bit of an antagonist. You'll see as the story progresses when I post it on regular. As for right now, I have 16 chapters of this written, I am _GOING _ to finish all my other stories first. I'd kind of like to have at least only one story going on at a time by the time _I_ go to Midwestern next semester...without further ado, read on!

* * *

Chapter 5 (Torrid Exchanges)

She took her seat in the chair on the far end of the table, her eyes remained glued on Jason. Her positioning forced Lindsay to sit on the other side with her back turned. Every so often she'd catch the girl glimpsing over her shoulder to glare at the man whom Trina just revealed having sex with.

"Just let me tear his throat out," Lindsay whispered to Trina's enjoyment. Years before, Lindsay was the friend that would scare off any guy she suspected of trying into Trina's pants-it was some strange sense of loyalty and protection that she really didn't get from anyone else.

"Relax Linds, just don't think about it. It was only a summer fling." She looked up to Jason, catching a side glimpse from him that was held for several long seconds. Her heartbeat raced in her chest and her body was slowly heating up.

Lindsay huffed in return and glanced back over her shoulder. "I bet it wasn't like that for him. He never wrote you after?"

"He isn't computer literate. Back then he had one email that he used for professional stuff and said he rarely got online, he doesn't have a Facebook, and I couldn't remember his phone number once we left camp." Regardless, she never expected to see him again-much less at Midwestern. What were the chances of that?

Jason snapped his fingers and pointed over to her, "Trina. Why don't you introduce yourself to the group?" She looked at the group with a shy expression and started to clam up.

"Okay." What was she supposed to say? She didn't want to talk about herself right now. She glared back at him, curious as to what he was trying to accomplish. She liked it behind the mask of what she wore, and wanted to engrain a new sense of identity away from her family, she couldn't stand to be placed on the spot like this.

"Come on." He waved his hand up in the air and leaned back slowly in his booth. Her eyes drifted to his firm chest, slowly rising and falling with each gentle breath he took from his nostrils. "You're not shy. Introduce yourself, I won't do it."

"You really are an ass." She swept her bangs back as his eyes slanted and his smirk deepened. His arms folded over his chest and his broad shoulders gently lifted into the air.

His gaze grabbed hers, enticing her and causing her body to develop a cold, yet hot sweat. "Yep." Lindsay rolled her eyes at them and moved her hand to her forehead. "I guess that hasn't changed. Have you?"

"No…"

"Then introduce yourself. After all you are the new member that we're all here to meet."

"Fine." She threw her hair over her shoulder and looked out to the club with her attempt at a smile. "I'm Trina, short for Katrina. Lindsay here got me into martial arts years ago." It was a similar situation to how she and Jade had become friends, but not the same exact situation. Where Jade dealt with her mother, Trina had been dating an abusive boyfriend and Lindsay was the one to get her up off her ass and do something about it.

"And you're a black belt?" He swept his hand along the table, reaching for his glass of water. "So I hear."

"Yes. I hear some of you want to spar with me already." Jason moved his cup to his lips and deviation began its rise in Trina as she watched. "Just can't get too physical, now. I'm curious to see how you'd handle me." His eyes shot open and his hand tore the glass away as he coughed on the drink.

The line was something she would so often say to him in their days at camp, and usually just before their sparring would turn intimate. It was nice to see she still had somewhat of an effect on him.

It had been some time since she'd let herself talk like this, truly letting herself be free. Maybe it was his effect on her, but she didn't know. The fact of the matter remained that she was away from her family and could be herself for once.

Trina heard her friend utter a groan, "Can we please get down to business!"

Jason carefully set the glass on the table, clearing his throat as his eyes fixated on Trina. "Sure." She gazed back at him and leaned forward as he glanced away. Her hand moved up, serving as a perch for her chin. "We're starting off a new semester, bigger than we were last year and more involved in the community. This is good, the University has officially recognized us as a major organization. I hope we can continue to thrive as we have been."

As he spoke, her mind began to drift away from her. Her head tilted slightly and her lips pressed tight together as she studied his body. He was buffer than he'd been years ago, she had to admit she was impressed. She liked that his hair was longer, but his eyes were still the standout feature.

Every so often, he'd sneak a glance at her and when he saw her looking he'd tear his gaze away. Trina never quite believed in fate, but she couldn't help wondering what it was that led them to the same place again, if not fate.

Her heart still shattered remembering what Tori told her about that night when he went away with Cat. While Tori said Cat essentially dragged him off, he made little effort to get away by what it sounded like. She thought he'd forgotten her, and maybe all it ever was truly was a summer fling and nothing more.

Yet, if it had felt that way, she never would have given herself up to him. He fully led her into thinking they'd find each other and be together after camp was over.

She turned her focus to the other club members. Each was wearing their GI uniform to show what color belt they were. Out of the twenty that had been there before Trina and Lindsay arrived, there were five black belts-including Jason. Two members had red belts, three wore blue and three wore green. There was one purple belt, one orange, and one yellow. The rest had white.

The black belts had yellow stripes on them, which indicated grade. According to Jason's rank, he'd been a black belt now for two years. Of course she knew this from personal experience, she'd received her black belt at the same time he did-the martial arts camp.

Lindsay was a black belt for a little over three years. This made her the highest rank, judging from the stripes on the others. Their stripes indicated one year, and the two without stripes would have just received theirs.

"Are there any further questions?" Jason inquired, snapping Trina's thoughts back to focus.

"Yeah!" Someone called out from the side. "How do you know the new girl?" Trina's cheeks reddened as Jason's eyebrow arched up. "You're sweating up there. Did you two have a history?"

"Any questions that _do not_ involve how I might know Lindsay's roommate!" Was that what she was to him? Her friend's roommate? Was he trying to challenge her?

"Oh I have a name, Jason." Jason's face grew crimson as Trina hovered over the table and glared at him with a burning desire in her eyes. "Not just Lindsay's roommate. I'll give you a hint, it isn't _Valentine_."

"What?" Jason shot a dumbfounded look at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You don't remember her? Long red hair, ditzy. Has a couple loose screws up in the head." She circled her finger by her temple as Jason leaned back slowly. He dismissed the thought with the wave of a hand.

"Oh. Yeah nothing happened with her. Now isn't the time to discuss that, and besides, I'm not into ditzy chicks."

"No?" She parted her lips and laughed once as he began to sweat. "I would have thought the Dixie Chicks were your style of country music."

"I don't like country music."

"I like some of their songs. _Cowboy Take Me Away,_and _You Were Mine_. The song _Goodbye Earl_ is pretty good, but not as good as those first two." His eyes softened at the mention of the song _You Were Mine_. "Your move."

"I said nothing happened." His muscles tightened as he turned towards her and tapped his fingertips on the table. "I couldn't even find you before I had to move back here! Then my uncle had that thing with his students and I realized one of them was your sister, but the damn redhead dragged me off before I could talk to her."

Her heat sank and she quickly dismissed him. "Tori wouldn't have taken you to me anyway, she probably would have done the same as Cat."

"Well I convinced Cat to take me to your place, you didn't show up and the girl needed me to get her home. I had to move back home with dad the next day. This is not the time or place for this talk!"

"You're right, it's not. It's not going to happen, anyway."

"Don't be so quick to dismiss people...but we will have this talk later."

Trina crossed her arms and gazed smugly at him. She'd like to see him try and continue this. "So, you're the club president and I'm just the new girl, roommate of one of your members." She closed her eyes and sucked in the air through her teeth. "Nobody important."

"Tri-"

"Tell me about the organization. When are your meeting times, what do you do for the community? Come on, fill me up." His face scrunched momentarily and he bowed his head, letting out a heavy sigh as his shoulders fell.

No doubt the other members were amused by this spectacle, she'd forgotten they were there and was embarrassed that she'd just aired this dirty laundry in front of them.

"Fine." He lifted his head and glanced at his glass of water, it was nearly empty at this point. "We meet on Tuesdays and Thursday afternoon around three. Usually at the quad. If not it's the D. L. Lingon Coliseum on campus in the gym, and that's when weather is suspected to be bad."

"Okay, sounds good so far."

"Right. We try to raise funds each year to support homeless shelters, victims of domestic violence, victims of natural disasters-as you will probably realize, there are a lot of tornadoes that come this way. Last year we raised almost ten thousand dollars through tournaments we've held and fundraisers, as well as a variety of drives such as racing for awareness. We get involved in bike sports like the Hotter than Hell 100 that takes place each August."

"Has that come by yet?"

"No, that's on the 20th through the 24th." It sounded intriguing, she'd love to get involved. "What you do is you ride in these endurance races and try to get as far as you can. There's a whole background in it that I can explain to anyone interested a little later, right now I'm just covering the basics."

"Okay. So you guys are heavily involved in the community. I like that. Are there fees for being a part of the organization?"

"No. But there are requirements. You have to be willing to learn. The club's open to anybody, but we like our members to at least take an active role rather than simply sit around, so it's advisable to be involved if you can. Our first tournament is being held on September 1st. All funds for tickets will be going to Women's Haven Center of Wichita Falls. If you're interested in signing up, I will be passing around the signup sheet for that." He lifted up a manila folder full of papers. Immediately Trina wanted to put her name down.

"I think I will."

"Sure. Come to the next meeting and show us your moves."

"Oh I'd be happy to show you my moves. But I'll warn you, I'm not easy. I'm wild." He hesitated as Trina's slanted gaze locked onto him. Lindsay's head fell once more.

"Nice to see some things haven't changed…"

* * *

In addition to my earlier alert, there's also some sensuality coming in later chapters. What we have is antagonists on two different sides here. Trina's unseen struggle for her identity while pushing down who she is due to fear of disapproval and we also have some members of a family (Not Trina's) who would view her as a distraction. Again, you'll see where this tale is going. Tell me what you thought of this chapter. Seems Trina's using his going off with Cat as an excuse to be angry-though he says nothing happened.


	6. Impossible to Forget

Fresh Start at Life/Tender Distraction

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 6 (Impossible to Forget)

"And what the hell was all that?" Lindsay exclaimed upon arriving back at the apartment. Trina slowly made her way to the couch, feeling baffled as well by her actions. There was just something about Jason that brought out her innermost nature, she never really understood what it was about him that could do that. "I don't think I've ever known you to act like that-it's like you were trying to get some sort of sexual rise out of him."

"Was it that obvious?" Lindsay's mouth hung open as Trina curled her fingers into her hair, tugging it back some. "You realize he's the same guy from Camp, I just don't know what it is…I'm not afraid to be myself with him. I cover that up around most people."

"Force of habit, I know, you've mentioned that." Lindsay sat down beside her and closed her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with expressing yourself, being true to who you are, and it's good that he gave you that. I certainly wasn't expecting it to happen at the meeting though."

"Neither was I, I didn't even know he was here!" She through her arms out, raising her voice in pitch. "He was supposed to be gone, I was never going to see him again!"

"Well. Maybe it's a sign." She gave her friend a skeptical look and slowly folded her arms across her chest. A sign of what, exactly? She didn't think anything further was going to happen with Jason, she would just try to act as cordial as possible and ignore whatever history they had. "Maybe it's fate trying to tell you to remember to stay true to who you are in this new life you're making for yourself?"

"That's a little too deep and philosophical for me, Linds."

"But it's possible, who knows." She narrowed her eyes and tore her gaze to the window.

"I'm not going to let anything happen with him." Lindsay laughed and Trina's glare returned to her. "What? I'm just going to ignore whatever history there is between us. If I can't, well, I don't know…maybe I'll just leave the club."

"A man like that? He'll get under your skin before you can ignore him. Besides, according to you, he's already been inside you…" Lindsay growled the last word and Trina unfolded her arms with a heavy sigh. "So there _is_ that impossible to forget connection."

"It's not going to influence a thing, just you watch."

"I've never seen anyone forget the first person they've had sex with or fallen in love with, and again-according to you, he's both."

"He forgot me." She leaned against the arm of the couch while Lindsay turned her head, looking as though Trina had just lost hers.

"Excuse me but where were you tonight? La-la land? I'm sure I was not the only person watching his reaction to you, or the things you said to him. Which, of course, were chock full of innuendos!" She smacked her hand in the air to emphasize a point. Trina huffed and curled her lip into a tiny smile.

"I just wanted to see if I could."

"Yeah well, it seems to me that not only did he not forget you but that Cat girl meant absolutely nothing to him." She rolled her eyes and pushed herself up from the couch. Her heart was splitting and her eyes grew heavy.

"I do not want to talk about it. I'm in college now, I need to focus on that."

"Trina, I'm telling you, you can't just ignore the guy."

"Watch me."

"Do you think he's like the members of your family? Don't get me wrong, but with the kind of history you told me, you can't just put him out of your life that easily." She held her breath and turned away, moving quickly to her bedroom.

She could ignore him if she had to, but she wasn't going to do that. She was simply going to ignore their history together. As if all the lovemaking, all the promises and plans meant nothing. To find each other, that was their promise, and Cat interrupted that. Even still, how could he never have found her after that? Sure, only a couple of short years passed since then, but that didn't mean a day went by he wasn't on her mind.

Now was not the time to focus on that, however. She pulled up her Facebook and put out a two worded, near frenzied status message that she knew only one person would pay any mind to. "Jason's here!" She updated her status mood as 'anxious' and left it at that.

She didn't know what possessed her to put it out there, but it wasn't as though her family would think anything of it. Most of her status messages had certain restrictions set on them, but not this one. Even Tori would be able to see it, but likely the girl wouldn't pay any mind to it.

Within a minute, Jade replied with an exclamation of her own. "The guy from that camp? Really?" Her chat box popped up and Jade was asking her how she was doing and if it was the same Jason.

She wiped the sweat off her brow and moved her hands to the keyboard, hovering them over for a second while contemplating her thought. "Yes, same guy. I didn't know he was here, he's the president of the martial arts club. I think his dad lives in Texas."

"So what are you going to do? Are you going to talk to him?"

"I can't really avoid him, so I'm just going to be cordial. Other than that, I'm not going to think about whatever history we had. Like everything with my family, that's in the past."

"Do you seriously think you're going to be able to put that on the backburner? Can you burn that bridge?"

"Well, I thought he had. He clearly hasn't forgotten me. I'm just wondering why I've never seen him again. We said we were going to find each other, that we wouldn't forget the other, and he broke that promise. He broke it when he let Cat drag him off."

"I remember that. Even Cat said nothing happened. He wasn't interested in her at all, no matter what she did or how she flirted with him his attention was somewhere else. She thought it made him clueless and dense."

She pulled her hands away from the keys, smiling at Jade's statement. At the same time, she couldn't bring herself to listen. She was looking for an outlet, something to justify whatever fear she had. That fear was that she couldn't hide herself with him.

Even the first things they said to each other, he had her pegged when she tried to put on her shy façade and hope not to have to talk to anyone at the meeting. He cut through her like a knife and instantly informed everyone in no subtle way that she was not truly that way.

"He saw me for who I was back then. Someone that, for years, my family said was wrong. Unlikable and that I shouldn't be. I couldn't be myself, but who I was he saw and was able to get me to be. There's a reason I'm at Midwestern now, and that's to forge my own path."

"So you can be yourself."

"Yeah but, I'm trying to find myself too…"

"Maybe that's the point. You already have, you just need to see it."

"That's not who I am, it can't be who I am."

"Why not?" She hesitated, drawing in a sharp breath and holding it while glancing out the window before her. "Because that person is wrong? Because your family thinks you shouldn't be the person you are?" The statement tugged on her heartstrings, drawing a single tear from her eyes. "So in being yourself you're going to reject your identity because of your family?"

"I don't know, Jade. I don't think I even know who the hell I am anymore, if that even makes sense." She sank down in her chair and exhaled. Her eyebrows moved close together and her throat clamped tight. "I think I'm scared of him. Not scared in the sense that I think he'd hurt me…he wouldn't. Scared of-I don't know what exactly."

"Scared of who he'll bring out of you? Hey, isn't college supposed to be about discovery? This is your journey, your self-discovery, experiment all you like. You're out of your family's oppressive thumb, right? They can't control you! You're Trina Vega, passionate, fierce, _indomitable_ and untamable, right?"

"I don't know anymore. I don't think I've ever used those words to describe myself, to be honest." She looked towards her status message and saw that it had been liked by multiple people. A vain chuckle left her lips as she hit the home button on Facebook to get away from the status update "Anyway, how are things with Beck?"

"They're okay. He's still upset with me though."

"What happened?"

"I blew up at him because he was making conversation with our waitress at the table. It was nothing, but you know how it is. He was being friendly, but I get anxious, he doesn't realize that I have anxiety issues. Or he does, but he doesn't seem to pay any attention to it."

"He probably does." This happened a lot with Jade. Her anxiety would cause her some grief in regards to paranoia, so she'd blow up and vent later to Trina. She and Beck would get into a fight and he would seemingly forget that there was a reason besides himself that Jade was getting so upset. "When people get frustrated and defensive, they tend to focus on themselves and not the other person. He was probably too busy defending himself to realize that you blew up because of your anxiety."

"Probably. I guess I'm scared he's going to leave me again. You know he's done it before."

"You remember you didn't exactly put him in a good spot when that happened. Neither of you should be controlling in the relationship." She was referring to that poker game where Jade was blowing up and told Beck to follow her or else they were through, and when he didn't, she considered them to be broken up. Both of them were in the wrong that night, and it took them quite some time to realize it.

"I know. Sometimes I can't help it. I like to be in control sometimes, he likes to be in control, and we clash. It happens."

"Hey. At least you didn't fall in love with an asshole." She laughed, remembering what Lindsay had said of Jason. It was just who he was and how he came across. He always spoke his mind and was very observant, and it was that factor that gave him the reputation of being an asshole.

"That remains to be seen. Sometimes he can be an ass, and sometimes I can be a bitch. It gets us into a lot of fights, Trina. Anyway, if you have a problem with Cat, maybe you ought to talk to her?"

She was taken aback by the abrupt suggestion. There was nothing she held against the redhead. "Why would you think I have a problem with her?"

"Because you seem to think she took Jason from you…or are you using that as an excuse to not face him? At least with Beck and I, and I know I have a ton of anxiety issues when it comes to our relationship, we can still talk about things."

"I don't have anxiety so much as I'm feeling stressed."

"Not anxiety, you're hurting and you're scared. It's understandable, but how long do you think you're going to be able to hide that?"

"As long as I can."

"Can I give you some advice?" She frowned and curled her fingers away from the keys. Her breath hitched as her heart tore apart her insides. "You and Jason have had sex, right? You told me that part…" She swallowed down the saliva forming in her mouth and moved her fingers to the keys, but kept them placed on the surface without pressing down. "In return, you know that Beck and I have…we've also done it. So I know what emotions, what connection that forms between two people. Separating, I know that separating after giving your heart, your soul, your body…_everything_ to someone…I know what that does to a person. It hurts like hell to break up, that's why they say you should only give yourself to someone you feel is going to be that one person you're never going to let go of. A part of your soul gets ripped out, so you can't just forget them. Don't try to forget, don't try to avoid, because it's only going to hurt you in the long run."

After reading Jade's wall of text, she was at a loss of what to say. Tears left her eyes as she felt Jason's touch on her arms. Her eyelids closed and she thought he was standing there, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck and cupping her breasts in his hands. Her body burned with the flames of desire, his touch never leaving her. These feelings, she'd been able to push them away, but now that he was here she couldn't shove them down so easily.

When her eyes flew open, she shook her head and reached for the keyboard. "Those days are over, Jade. Whatever connection we had is gone. It's time for me to focus on my education."

"Don't just do that, focus on your life. You went to Midwestern to make yourself happy, so do it! What are you afraid of? Don't tell me you're afraid to be happy and secure."

"I'm not."

"Your family can't judge you anymore, Trina. They can't control what you do. You got out, you got away, now live your life like you want. I'm not saying to be with Jason or do whatever with him, but don't let fear of your judgmental, hypocritical relatives keep you from making that life you're trying to get. If that means Jason's the guy for you, so be it. If not, that's fine too, at least you're making your life about you!"

"I guess you're right."

"I am. Now, with that being said, my mother's calling me for supper…" Trina took a deep breath and wiped away the tears in her eyes. "Try to have a good night, get some rest. You've earned it. I hope you're liking Midwestern so far."

"I am. I love it here. Thanks also for the talk, I appreciate it. Have a good supper."

She closed the chat box and pushed her chair back from the desk. Her heart rate was slowing down but she wasn't able to relax. At least she could get some rest this weekend before the start of classes. "I wonder if Lindsay has any ice cream in the freezer…"

* * *

Ah yes, she's in for quite the ride. Literally as well-this story will probably be changing into an M rating in a few chapters, by the way. You're forewarned.


	7. Morning Jog

Tender Distractions

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 7 (Morning Jog)

Sunday morning before church, Trina readied herself for her morning jog. She hadn't mapped out a route just yet and would be jogging around the campus. When she returned, she'd take a shower and go to the church Lindsay went to-Grace Bible Church. She hadn't been to church in a while, having her own difficulties with spirituality and other issues.

Trina put her hair up into a ponytail, did her morning stretches, then left the apartment. Lindsay was still sleeping, so she didn't want to wake her. After church she would meet her other roommates that she'd been so eager to meet.

It was not too cold for the black sports bra and black track pants she had, but when she felt the brittle wind on her skin, she was sure she'd have to find warmer workout clothes in the future. The only part of her that showed really was her midriff and some cleavage, so it didn't bother her too much.

As she started down Louis J. Rodriquez and towards Hampstead Ln, she spotted another figure jogging along the street on the other side. Wearing a thin white shirt that revealed his large arms and broad shoulders was none other than Jason. She froze as he glanced across the way and smiled at her.

"Trina!" She cursed mentally as he crossed over to her. Trina wanted to run the opposite way, but she'd already made the promise to herself that she'd be cordial. Or at least, she would try her best.

"What are you doing here?" She responded in her scathing voice. His brow furrowed his lips pressed tight together. His sweat was reflecting the sunlight off his toned body, giving him a well-oiled appearance. His hair was drenched in sweat, as was his shirt. "Probably an obvious question…"

"Yeah, I jog this route every day. I'm in the Sundance Apartments, actually. I go down to Hampstead, then towards Taft, along Comanche, heading to Midwestern Pkwy and back to this street. Then I repeat the route. Since it's a mile and a half, that's three miles."

"I guess you're on your second leg? Since you're soaked…"

"Yes. Have you started on a route yet?"

"No, I just got here, but the route you suggest seems decent." She paused to take in a breath and peer down the street. Was she suggesting that she run his route? It was a new place and she could take care of herself just fine, but she still would feel better to be with someone. Even if it was Jason. "You don't mind if I join you?"

"Really?"

"Don't think that means anything." He chuckled to himself and jogged ahead of her. Her jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed when he twisted around and waved at her.

"That's fine. Just keep up! Let's make a race out of it, see how fast you are. Not that you can outrun me."

"Asshole!" He spun around, jogging backwards and spreading his arms out to the sides.

"Save some of that angry energy for the run, Katrina." He clicked his tongue and flashed a toothy smirk. "I bet you can't run faster." She couldn't resist a good challenge, especially if it meant being able to shove her superiority in his face.

"And if I do? Because you know you'll be eating my dust in the next few minutes." He laughed at her attempt to catch up to him. He put a serious face on and ran ahead.

"Kiss me!"

She mocked him with a laugh and bolted ahead. "Like that's going to happen." Tempting as it was, she was not planning on doing anything intimate with him. "You think I'm going to lower myself because you're confident-"

"I'm not asking you to do anything you don't want to do." He smirked back at her. "If you want to make it more real, how about this: just fucking talk to me like a human being." She rolled her eyes and turned onto Hampstead with him. He reached out and pointed to a building. "That right there is the counseling center, by the way. If the counselors in the student center don't fit your needs, the people there will."

"And what exactly are you implying! That I need counseling or some sort?"

"I may be forgetful, but I've never forgotten anything about you. One thing I know is that you've always depended on some sort of counselor, and I assumed you were still seeing a counselor. I apologize if that's not the case."

"Well don't just assume."

"Fine." While jogging along, she heard some guy whistle at her. She looked away, unnerved. To her surprise, Jason shook an angry fist at the man. "Hey! Fuck off!"

"Jason!"

"What? Some people should be more respectful!"

"Well try not to act like a tough guy. You look like you're compensating for something." He laughed at her and curled his lips into a broad smirk.

"I think you and I both know I don't have to compensate for anything down there." She felt a sudden spark and groaned at the faded memory.

"Give me one reason not to hit you for that."

"Go ahead and take a blow. If that brought up any negative memories, hit me." Her cheeks fired up and her body grew hot. Was this payback for her racy comments at the meeting? His turn to get her flustered?

"Just so you know," she snapped, "You're not going to win this! You have no effect on me whatsoever!"

"Is that a challenge? Break!" He stopped running for a moment and Trina caught up with him, stopping next to him. She grinned as he put his hands to his knees and panted for a moment.

"Out of breath already?"

"Well, this is my second lap." He rose up and crossed his arms. "Do you hate me, Trina?" She pursed her lips and glanced at his arms. He unfolded them and let them hang loosely at his waist. "You seem awfully bitter. What did I do, because I know I never forgot you if that's what you're upset about."

"I'm upset because you broke a promise." She huffed angrily and clenched her fists. Tension struck her chest and she took an angry step forward. "Instead you went off with that redheaded hussy!" She knew she was being unfair to Cat, which probably was unfair both to Jason and herself.

He scowled in return, his deep voice rising in strength and pitch. "I told you nothing happened with her!" She recoiled and turned away from him, growling lowly. His face softened and he chuckled dryly. "That isn't it? You don't hate me. You're just angry."

"We said we were going to find each other."

"I tried to find you, damn it! My dad and uncle even told me to give up on you and I didn't until I came here." Her breathing grew heavy as she turned to face him, glaring into his eyes. "You're just afraid to feel anything for me, is that it? I still care about you, not a day goes by that I don't think about you."

"That sounds like a problem doesn't it?" She narrowed her eyes and slid her hands along her hips. "And no, I feel nothing for you. You forgot me, I forgot you. Simple as that." She turned away and began jogging ahead, feeling rather proud of herself until she heard him scoff in disbelief.

"You know, I don't believe you. I don't believe that for a second. Want to know why?" Anger and adrenaline mixed together inside her, boiling and coursing through her veins. She spun back around, raising her voice and struggling against the urge to slap him across the face.

"Why is that?"

"Well, ignoring the fact that if you didn't feel anything, you wouldn't have come into the restaurant last night the way you did. I may have some trouble remembering things, but I don't have problems with being observant." Her muscles tensed as he circled her. Her nostrils flared as her arms hung at her sides and her chest heaved out angrily. "Another thing, I know you. I know that what you're saying right now, that's not you. You never were a good liar."

"Bullshit. If I can hide myself from my family I can most certainly hide other things."

"You hide shit." She could feel his hot breath hitting the back of her neck, causing her hair to stand on end. She closed her eyes and turned her head away from him. "You keep it inside, then you spill it elsewhere. But at the same time, it's all over your body and in your eyes. I know how your muscles get rigid when you're angry, you tense up…"

She leaned her head back as his hand brushed along the top of her shoulders. She tried to relax them, but couldn't.

"Your blood rushes to your face when you've been called out on something. When you're said, there's this little look you get in your eyes and you have the tiniest pout." His finger brushed along her chin, causing a sparking sensation to shoot into her. She opened her eyes and gazed up at him, slowly tucking her lower lip under her teeth. "Because I have problems remembering stuff, I have to go in and memorize everything I can. When we were together, I memorized every little fact about you. If you think for a minute that I could ever forget you…"

"Shut up. You know I don't want to talk about this."

"No. We are going to talk about this. If you want me to leave you alone, I will, but don't go flirting around with me or airing our history out for the world to see. I'll always love you, and you should know that-and before you decide to try and blame that girl, I think you and I both know that's a load of bullshit. Not only did nothing happen with her, that girl means absolutely nothing to me."

"Say what you will. I don't care."

"That was a problem you had back then, you didn't want to be true to your own feelings. You were always so scared your family would disapprove or something, but why are you here? So far from your family, they can't control you anymore can they?"

"No."

"Then what are you afraid of? What are you trying to deny? Are you telling me, that entire summer was just one big lie?" She scoffed at him and crossed her arms as he walked behind her. "If I caress you, you feel nothing."

"Maybe." She felt his warm fingers reach around, brushing along her cheek. She leaned into the caress, biting her tongue so as not to let out any sign of interest. A shiver ran down her spine and her arms fell back to the sides. "Nothing."

"And if I kiss you?"

"Not a chance." She stumbled over the world and relaxed her muscles when his hot lips scraped along her neck. His gentle kiss trailed along to her shoulder and his hands curled around the sides of her arms. She tightened her upper body and bit down sharply on her lip, struggling to suppress a contented moan erupting from the chills forming along her body. His tongue flicked out and slicked over the nape of her neck. "Oh god."

It was not fair of him to use anything that would spark her senses, things he would do in the past that always turned her on. She felt his fingertips sliding up and down her neck, then along her sides, sending further shocks into her. "You're still every bit as beautiful as you were then. Your eyes, your smile, how could I ever forget?"

"Then why'd you stop looking for me?"

"Whoever said I stopped? Life got busy, yeah, but I didn't exactly have your number and your family more than likely wasn't going to tell me." She moved her head back onto his left shoulder as his arms wrapped around her waist and his palms laid flat on her stomach.

"You say it, but how many girls have you fucked in the last two years? I can't be the only one you've had."

"Why couldn't you be?"

"Have you seen yourself?" He nuzzled her neck, gently nipping at a small amount of her skin. Her breath hitched and her eyes clenched shut as she moved her hands onto his. "You can't get a rise out of me."

"Would you like for me to stop?"

"I…" She didn't want him to stop, everything in her was screaming for that hot touch on her body. Screaming for what she once had. He was like a drug to her, and if she partook, she knew she'd never quit him. "I have things to do. I need to focus on my life."

"And I want you to do that. You deserve some happiness."

"You didn't answer my question." She turned in his arms and looked up into his eyes. He returned with a sincere gaze and shook his head.

"I've never been with anyone else. Not in the way I've been with you."

She smirked playfully and tore herself away, stepping back from him. "That must be lonely for you." She ran her hand along her neck and stifled a sigh. "I've got a jog to finish now. If we're still racing, that is." He raised an eyebrow as she took off ahead of him.

"Really? Playing dirty? All right."

The race came to a small patch of grass towards the end, surrounded by a variety of trees. They were neck and neck, and Trina continually snuck glances at Jason, contemplating how she could get ahead of him.

Coming close to this point, she took a prolonged look at him, admiring the determination in his eyes and the mesmerizing movement of his body. She felt her foot stick into something and screamed as she stumbled to the ground. The next thing she knew, Jason tripped as well and was on top of her.

Her eyes widened and her hands landed on his chest, with her fingers sliding inwards for a moment. His hands lay on the ground, one hand on each side of her head. Jason's deep brown eyes burned into hers and sweat fell from the tips of his hair which hung above her head. His hip was above hers, and they each had one leg between the other's legs.

"You got me down here," she panted nervously.

"I think we tripped on the tree root." He closed his eyes and lifted his body up some. "I won't take advantage of you." She felt some disappointment but was grateful he wasn't pushing her. His hand cupped her cheek and his lips turned up into a soft smile. "You are beautiful. I know you say you don't want anything to do with me, but I'm never going to stop fighting for you."

"There's really no point. Also, I thought you knew me. You know I'd take advantage of you-"

"Ah yes, but then you keep saying you don't feel anything for me. So if that's true-" She lifted her knee and smirked as Jason let out a soft grunt and shut his eyes once more. "Really?"

"I don't feel anything for you." That was the lie she'd keep telling herself and telling him, and perhaps if she told it enough times it would become reality.

"So you choose to toy with me instead? I see how it is. I'm no sex toy, and I think you know I'm not going to degrade myself just because I'm a man."

She tightened her fingers around his shirt and narrowed her eyes. "Just shut up before I clam up again." Her body rose up and she roughly embraced his lips. His hands flew off the ground and moved onto her back, holding her against his chest and matching her kiss with a strong one of his own.

Trina's breath hitched and a soft moan shot up her throat, escaping her lips as she threw her head back and let him kiss down the front of her neck. Each kiss was soft, slow, and brought about a small touch of pleasure that spiraled through her.

"I'm not going to play games with you," Jason said in a breathless pant. Trina moved her forehead against his, struggling to catch her own breath.

"You've got a beautiful woman, who you say you still love, kissing you right now, and it's not going to be long before my anxiety puts that wall right back where it belongs." Jason hesitated for a minute, his brow furrowed and he slowly pushed himself up. She let out a startled whimper as he took her hand. "What are you doing?"

"Come on. Get up. Not only would I like for all this to mean something to you, this just isn't right. Not like this, Trina. You don't know what you're doing…You're stressed, anxious, probably trying to figure out what you want out of your own life-if you say all this means nothing, then I don't want this for you."

"Jason."

He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "I love you, that has never and will never change. My feelings are for you and I don't want you to do something you're going to regret." He placed a gentle hand on the back of her head and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. "See you at the club."

Her eyes dampened as he turned away and walked towards his apartment in the distance. "The race isn't over! The apartment's this way." Jason lifted his hand and waved in the air, not glancing back at her.

"You win."

She stammered and hugged herself. His touch still lingered on him, and the lust and adrenaline fueled moment left her with a deeper feeling that frightened her more. What had she done? Had she gone crazy?

For a minute, a single minute in time she hadn't hid herself behind an antisocial or shy wall. She hadn't tried to be someone she wasn't, but the person that wasn't afraid to let herself live.

She walked the rest of her way back to the apartment and entered to see Lindsay preparing some breakfast. The woman gave her a concerned look when she didn't bother to glance up. "Trina? What's the matter?"

"Nothing's wrong." She sniffed and looked back to the door. "Let's just hurry up and go, I want to check out this church."

"Okay, breakfast will be done soon."

"Good." She returned to her bed and threw herself on it. Why did she have to lie to Jason? Why was she unable to be honest with him and with herself? She did feel something, but he was right when he said she was scared of feeling something.

What if it was just another fling? What if he had to go away again? What Jade said played like a record in her head, telling her how torn she'd feel if she lost him again. At the same time, if she didn't pursue him as he did her, was there a chance of losing him too?

Now really wasn't the time to worry about this. She needed to focus on the more important aspect that was her university. Her love life was dried up anyhow, and Jason probably wouldn't be able to bring it to life.

* * *

Famous last words, Trina, famous last words.


	8. Mixed Emotion

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 8 (Mixed Emotions)

The church was a slightly boring experience, but only because Trina hadn't been truly focusing on it. The pastor was preaching something in Acts. Her family was Christian by far, but her trouble came from years of seemingly unanswered prayers.

What God existed that would let an angry old man strike his granddaughter? What benevolent god would allow an entire family to circle around him like he was some sort of fucking angel who could do no wrong and have the gall to tell her that she was in the wrong? What benevolent spirit would allow a father to ignore his own biological child and treat his step family more like family than his own flesh and blood?

She believed in God, she believed that God cared for all his creations, but her struggle was believing that he gave a flying fuck about prayers. For what it was worth, she didn't feel like she deserved to go to church. Not with all the baggage that surrounded her.

"So what did you think?" Lindsay opened the apartment door and Trina shrugged.

"It was a good lecture. A little boring though. I've heard it all before." She wished she could be spiritual. Her Aunt Diane and Uncle George were the more spiritual people in the family, she truthfully admired them for it and always had respect for her uncle. He was her favorite relative, after all. Next to Sarah, who was her age, and the only one to ever attain a 'best friend' status at one point of time.

Nowadays Sarah had more important things to do than to talk to her, but always made a point to converse whenever Trina initiated contact. George and Diane were part of her real mom's family. Her biological mother was a police officer like David, she was killed while on duty many years ago. It was something Trina never really spoke of, she absolutely hated whenever someone would say 'oh I'm so sorry'.

Honestly, not only was she _nine_ when it happened, but she was long over it for the most part. She was more hurt by the 'I'm sorry' than she was her mother's passing!

Perhaps the only people that never said that about her loss were Lindsay and Jason himself, they let her talk about it and were a comfort if she was actually upset about it but both of them when first hearing of what happened told her it sounded almost reflexive and thoughtless to just say 'I'm sorry'. It was something said by people who really had no idea what to say and couldn't think of anything better.

As a result of her mom's death, Trina temporarily lived with her grandparents for a bit. George Sr. and Rosa, clearly her Uncle George's and mother's parents. Uncle John was also their son. It was through her grandpa's stringent actions and behaviors that her father came to her and asked if she wanted to live with him instead, which she agreed to. This was when she was fifteen, and also around the time she went to Hollywood Arts.

Of course, it was also around this time the man married Holly and took in Tori, the light of his life at this point.

"Trina? You okay?" She heard Lindsay's voice and smiled at her friend, realizing that she'd been left to an idle mind. "You've been really out of it all morning, did something happen?"

"Not really, I've just been thinking about stuff." She wanted to tell Lindsay about what happened with Jason, but she didn't know how she'd react. Hell, she was the one that, strangely enough, came onto him, and he turned her down! But he was right to do so, and she respected him for it.

Her mind hadn't been in the right place at the time, and thinking back on it now, she probably would have regretted it if she just threw herself at him like that. Back at the camp, it was similar to that, wild and crazy sex every now and then-but it was done in a way that wasn't full of lust and without thought or meaning.

At the same time, why would he still love her? It was something she couldn't understand. Why was she so deserving of anyone's love and affection? Her own family never bothered to show it. Not her grandfather, not her father, not Uncle John and Aunt Sonya or any of her perfect, well behaved, straight A cousins. So why would Jason, who was just another potential let down, possibly see anything worth loving in her? She would have understood if he was driven by lust, not love-and if that had been the case-he would not have stopped her earlier.

"Well if you need someone to talk to, that's what I'm here for."

"I know."

"Alright, well let's get inside. Michelle and Francine are waiting." Her heart leapt up and she looked inside with excitement. A bright smile stretched out onto her face as she followed Lindsay inside. Once in, she saw two women standing at the counter with a cake between them.

The woman on the right was a tall blonde with long curly hair and bright blue eyes, she didn't look much older than Tori, which was a surprise. The woman on the left was short, had a slightly stubby figure and a kind face. Her red hair flowed in rivets down her neck and meshed with her blue scrubs.

"Finally we get to see you!" The blonde cheered. "I'm Michelle, and this is Francine."

"Hi!" Trina met both of them with a hug and looked to the cake with yellow frosting. She was happy to see a 'welcome' cake. "You guys got me a cake?"

"Yeah, we thought we'd give you a little mini party. It's Italian Cream-Francine made it."

"I'm not big on sugary stuff," Francine stated, "But I had a mom who insisted I learn how to cook all sorts of pastries"

"Aw, you didn't have to, but thank you!" She turned her hungry eyes to the cake, admiring it to the point that she didn't want to eat it. Instead, she pulled out her phone and snapped a photo. "That thing's going in my stomach, but it's too beautiful to forget." The girls laughed and Lindsay hurried to the kitchen to grab a knife.

"Screw lunch, I'm cutting this thing now." The girls surrounded Lindsay, all watching with anticipation as she put the knife to the top of the cake. After a few seconds, Lindsay lifted her hand and cleared her throat. "Back it on up, you're making me feel claustrophobic."

Sometime after eating cake and watching some television, the celebration was ended by a phone call. Trina excused herself to her bedroom and answered, surprised to hear Aunt Diane on the other line. "Trina! Hey, I wanted to know how you're liking the campus."

"Oh it's great." She fell back onto her bed and smiled up at the ceiling while moving her free hand behind her head. "Classes start tomorrow and my roommates are great. I have my best friend here, two other roommates who are nice, and I'm already a part of a club." She was purposely omitting the fact about Jason, though a sinking feeling said her aunt may have seen the status update. Hopefully the woman wouldn't ask-she didn't want her to slip up and tell her grandparents who would likely tell her to stop focusing on men and focus on her studies.

"That's fantastic news! So you're settling in for sure? Have you heard from your father yet?"

"No, dad hasn't called to check on anything. Not that I'm surprised, to be honest. He's not exactly at the forefront of my mind either."

"I understand. I know it doesn't look like there's much hope for him, but keep praying he'll come around." She listened to her aunt take a deep breath. A smile lifted on her face as her gaze drifted towards the window. "He's not a terrible man, Trina. He just needs to get his priorities straight."

"Well, if there's one thing to say about Dad, it's that he isn't abusive. Neglectful maybe, but abusive no."

"Trina, you've got to let that go, sweetie." She scowled, wishing her aunt could see. "I don't mean forgetting, I just mean don't let the things your grandpa's done affect you."

"It's hard not to."

"I know. People can also be selfish, Trina. You know, your grandma told me about your conversation the other week-"

"Oh great." She rolled her eyes and tensed up. "I can't tell anyone anything in confidence, can I?" Aunt Diane sighed heavily and cleared her throat. "You know grandpa called me after I came here and pretty much was telling me I should probably just stay away."

"Your grandfather is 80 years old."

"That doesn't give him an excuse to treat me the way he has. That's my problem with this family, they think his being old can excuse the things he does like he's some little kid that doesn't know any better!"

"Trina, I understand how you feel, believe me. I'm not saying he's in the right. At his age he's set in his ways and he really doesn't know better-but it's not an excuse. One way or another you have to realize we're all family. I'm not going to defend everyone to you, because you're obviously hurting, but try and remember nobody's perfect. We can only do so much and get so much right."

Trina gazed at her window and shrugged, unsure of how to respond. Sure her aunt had good points. "Well I wish the things people get wrong wouldn't be at my expense. I don't think mom would have ever allowed the treatment I've gotten."

"You're probably right," Diane chuckled, "You know you're a lot like her in many ways."

"So I've been told."

"You know what? She'd be proud of you." Her heart rose slowly and a tear ran along her cheek as she thought on her mom. "Your father called us after leaving the airport the other day, said he was excited for you going off to college."

"It's easy to take that out of context."

"Well it was nothing malicious. I know you worry that he focus more on his new wife and daughter, and maybe he does, but try not to write him off before giving him a chance. Okay?"

"I've tried multiple times. I've had Holly _and_ Tori tell me 'it's a two way street', well what the hell does that mean!" Trina sat up and slapped her hand in the air. Her chest tightened her heart pounded out volumes of anger. "Apparently they think I don't try, and because I don't try, that they shouldn't!"

Her voice rose in her aggravation and her stomach twisted violently inside her. "I don't care about Holly, about Tori, I just want my dad to see me again the way he used to. It's too late for that, I'm done giving him chances." She heard her aunt's sigh and tried to calm down, she wasn't yelling at the woman. There was nothing she had against her in this moment. "I'm at the point where I'm not going to call him, I'm not going to talk to him, if he wants to pursue a relationship he can call me and I'll talk to him, but I'm done trying to initiate contact."

"I suppose that's fair, but it's not my place to tell you what to do and what not to do. Only you know what's best for you. I know you don't like to hear it, but pray about it too…"

"That's a copout, Aunt Diane. Anytime someone says 'pray about your problems', it's a copout."

"Maybe, but I don't know what you want me to say."

"Yeah. I'm sorry…" She rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes. "I've been stressed lately."

"Oh, is everything okay? I thought you were liking it there, classes haven't even started for you yet have they?"

"No they haven't, but I do love it here."

"I'm glad to hear that. Now, talk to me, who's Jason?" Her aunt's voice grew soft and curious, and Trina could picture a sly grin on the woman's face. Her cheeks reddened and an exhale dropped from her lips. She shouldn't have expected her aunt not to see that, somehow Aunt Diane saw everything she posted out there.

"He's…just some guy…" She absently twirled her finger in the bottom of her hair. Catching herself, she pulled her hand away.

"Oh? Would he say that?" Chances were he wouldn't. He wouldn't brag and say he was the guy she had sex with at some camp, but he'd definitely say he was her boyfriend during one summer. "Your friend Jade, the one that commented on that status, seemed to respond like he was a big deal."

"He kind of is. I knew him a couple years ago, met him at that martial arts camp one summer. The one I stayed at for three to four months."

"I think I remember that. How'd you meet him?"

"He was in one team on one activity, I was on the other team. He was being cocky, I was being cocky in return and it just led into one whole competition between the two of us. He really was a sweet guy though, had a lot of respect for me and-"

"So you two had a little teenage love going on?" She laughed nervously and lifted her shoulders.

"I wouldn't say it was that small."

"Oh I'm not saying it's small. Remember, I met your Uncle George when we were just sixteen. We've been married now for thirty six years. Was he good to you?"

"He was." When they weren't having sex, which really wasn't that frequently. In the four months they were together, they did that five or six times. Maybe seven, either way the number was under ten. They spent more time just walking together, challenging each other to whatever competition they could find, and spending their time together talking and laughing about a variety of things. "Never could find him afterwards, so I never saw him again."

"Well what are the chances of him ending up at your campus? That's something that doesn't happen often. If you still care for him, I wouldn't let go so easily. You know, there's no telling what can come of that."

"Yeah, but everyone thinks I should focus on education, that I don't have time for guys…"

"Your education is very important, yes, but so is your life. I think when your family members-I assume your grandpa is who you're talking about, it's just coming across wrong. Focus on education, do absolutely do that, but don't neglect other aspects of your life. If you find friends who want to spend time with you, spend time with them if you have the time to do so. If you find some guy who treats you right and wants to take you out to dinner, do it if you have the time. If you had a good experience with this Jason guy, and he still cares for you and you care for him, do you want to miss out on an opportunity to give it another shot?"

"I think, I don't know, I have to figure out how I feel about it…" She bent forward, rubbing her neck. She could still feel the kisses left over from this morning. It was hard to think that she and Jason had also had their first real fight too, though it wasn't a big one. They argued before, small petty arguments, mostly about her doing what was expected of her by her family and not what she wanted. If she didn't listen to herself now after all this time, what would he think of her? What could she think of herself?

She couldn't bear to be with him if she didn't have herself straightened out.

"Anyway, I was doing something with my roommates, so I really do need to get back to them."

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know I was keeping you."

"You weren't. It was…a good chat. Bye, Aunt Diane."

"Bye. And hey, will you give your father a call?"

"He has my number, he can call me if he wants to talk to me."

"I guess that is fair, after all. You have my number if you need anything."

"Thanks." She said goodbye once more and hung up. Aunt Diane had a few good points, she thought, but overall Trina didn't feel comfortable with giving her immediate family anymore chances. She'd given plenty, only to wind up disappointed each time.

* * *

Aunt Dee (short for Diane) is a smart woman though. Looks like it was a good conversation they had


	9. First Day of Classes

Tender Distractions

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 9 (First Day of Classes)

Waiting for her first class to begin, Trina was on her bed flipping through the channels on her television to pass the time. She would be walking to class in thirty minutes, and all her morning activities were done-including her morning jog in which she hadn't see Jason.

While flipping through the channels she came across the much hated _Spongebob_ and raised an eyebrow at a scene with the crab and his whale of a daughter. "I always wondered," She muttered while sipping her coffee, "Who or what did Krabbs have to fuck in order to have that as a daughter." The show was still on after fourteen years, which said a lot about the intelligence of people in this country. Why was it that cartoons were being dumbed down? She used to enjoy them when she was young, but those days were long gone.

The alarm clock beside her went off and she quickly hit the off switch, muttering at her forgetfulness. Already she was feeling the regret over taking an eight am class. Usually she woke up at that time, now she had to force herself awake at six. Unfortunately it was the only option she had when registering for classes.

Sighing heavily she turned off the television and flung herself off the bed. "I'll just start heading to class now." The first class was Intro to Criminal Justice with Dr. Paddack, her next was History Since 1865 at 9:30.

Her laptop buzzed, pulling her attention towards it for the moment. She had Facebook up and someone was sending her a message. This startled her since everyone she knew was in California, and they should at least be an hour or so behind her. "Who the hell…" Sitting at her chair, she curved a smile when she saw a message from Cat asking her if she was awake.

"I'm awake," She typed, "Why are you? It's still way early for all of you." She hit the enter and stared at the message that stated Cat was typing something. Her eyes drifted up to the window and her body leaned forward a bit as she peered out at the beautiful sunrise. When she looked back, Cat had responded.

"I wanted to know if you were mad at me for some reason. Jade said you were upset about something I did. What did I do wrong?" Nothing. Cat had done absolutely nothing. Guilt struck her momentarily and she was quick to reply.

"I'm not mad at you, Cat. It's just someone else I'm upset with." She pulled her hands from the keyboard and sighed. She needed to get going, since she didn't want to be late to her first day.

"Who? Can I ask? I was just worried I did something wrong. Sam's getting mad at me because I'm awake, but I just really wanted to know if you were okay." She laughed and shook her head.

"Go back to bed, Cat. I need to go to class. I'm not mad at you, I mad at this guy, Jason. Though I'm not really 'mad' at him, it's complicated."

"I hope you'll be alright! Just wanted to make sure. Good luck with classes! You'll keep in touch, right?"

"Maybe." She couldn't be mad at this girl. She really was like one of those cupcakes that she liked, the red velvet ones. Sweet, pretty to look at but very fragile. Trina wouldn't be able to blame her for having anything to do with Jason, though she did still feel hurt that Jason had actually willed himself to go off with her in the first place. If he wanted to find her and to be with her, he shouldn't have taken to the charms of any girl, including Cat.

On the way to class she crossed into the quad, which the front door of the Martin Hall overlooked. There were three buildings, including the Martin Hall that bordered the quad. Across her building, on the opposite side was a street, then the Hardin Administration building with the large clock tower.

There were four paved walkways framed by trees and bushes that met in the circle where a fountain was. On the fountain was a man lying on his back with his hands behind his head and one leg bent over his left. She recognized him as Jason and wanted to go to him, to say something-anything after what happened yesterday morning.

He turned onto his left side, with his back facing hers. Trina curled her lip in and slowly moved to the door, there was no time to bother him anyway.

The classroom was full of students who were either half asleep or twitchy from too much coffee. She made her way to the front row and took her seat, smiling at the teacher standing in the front. The man looked tall despite standing only an inch above her. He had grey hair, a slightly wrinkled face with wire framed glasses and a round body.

After several minutes, the man walked to the door and closed it. "All right," he began, "I'm Mr. Paddack. To make sure you are in the right place, this is Introduction to Criminal Justice. Make sure the room number, as well as class listed on your schedule is correct."

It was an introduction like most college introductions. The teacher would hand out the syllabus, go over material that would be covered in future classes. She was extremely interested, but found herself occasionally distracted by the thoughts of what occurred Sunday morning.

What had she done to tick him off? Had she pushed his buttons or rubbed him the wrong way? For whatever reason she couldn't figure out, she couldn't put him out of her mind.

The class let out at 8:50, and when she was outside, she saw Jason sparring with someone on the quad. She grabbed her backpack strap and watched as he and the other man, just inches shorter, stood in front of each other. The wind blew Jason's hair from his eyes and the sunlight reflected off his stern and focused gaze.

The bottom of his shirt flapped in the gusty breeze and tightened around his chest and abs while the back of his shirt seemed to form a bubble in the wind. "It's all in the control," she heard him say to the man, "Just stay calm and focus on your opponent. Watch them, observe everything. Observe them, observe your surroundings, know what's coming and never, never let them know."

"Right." The man was in his uniform wearing a white belt. He put up his fists and Jason shook his head. "What am I don't wrong?"

"First off, your posture's off. Straighten up." He smacked the man's back, forcing him into an upright position. "Spread your legs." The man followed suit and Jason pushed down on his shoulders. "Squat a bit. This way you have full control, a good range of motion, and you won't be easily knocked over."

Jason stood beside him and moved into proper pose, locking his wrists at his side, the man mimicked him. "Do as I do." Trina leaned against the brick wall and gazed as he threw a strong right punch. The student followed, grunting as Jason had done.

Jason threw another punch, then performed a right front kick followed by a left. He circled his hands, closed one fist and twisted around to perform a block with his forearm. Next came the punch, and a repeat of the steps he'd done.

It was a basic formation he was showing the student. Trina was impressed with his knowledge and surprised to see how devoted he was to truly helping people in the club learn.

The longer she stood there, the more nervous she became. He had to know she was watching, but she found herself struggling to tear herself away. She moved behind the column to her right just as Jason looked up to where she'd been. When she poked her head around, she saw him sitting with a towel around his neck and instructing the student as the man continued the basic formation.

When the student stopped, he turned towards Jason. "Thank you for meeting me out here. Hey, do you think this will impress anyone?" Jason raised an eyebrow and bent his arms outwards, placing his hands firmly on his knees and sighing heavily.

"Martial arts isn't about impressing people. It isn't even about fighting really. A true artist doesn't care about fighting or impressing anyone with flash-though it is nice to show off once in a while but don't do it in a serious way or anything. It just makes you look stupid."

Trina let her eyes trail along Jason's body, now shimmering from the sweat that was pooling on him. She moved her legs together and looked around for a path she could take to avoid being seen by him. She had to get to her next class, and fast. The longer she stood there, the more distracted she became.

When she looked back over, Jason was now standing directly in front of her. She gasped out and pushed away from the wall. His eyes were slanted and his arms were crossed over his chest. "What are you doing, Trina?"

"I was just getting to class, actually." She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled back at him, attempting to remain as cool and calm as possible. His eyebrow rose and the corner of his lip tilted up into a cute smirk. "My next class starts pretty soon."

"Of course. Wouldn't want you to be late. Am I distracting you?"

"Don't get cocky with me." She growled weakly as he laughed. "I was only admiring how well you were teaching…you know, you could be a teacher like your uncle." His face tightened and his smirk fell into a sneer. "What? You don't like him?"

"Well. He'll always be my uncle, he's family, so I'm not going to abandon the guy. But no, I don't exactly agree with his methods. Always pushing, always giving me suggestions. I told you he and dad didn't want me 'wasting time' trying to look for you."

"Right." Her heart broke for him. She let her eyes drop, then bounce back up to him. "Well I mean, he did something good, right? Wasn't he the one that pushed you to go to the camp where we met?"

"Was that good? You told me already how you don't feel anything."

"But I didn't mean it in the way you think, I-"

"Don't waste your breath. It's fine." He waved his hand in the air and looked over his shoulder. "I'll never teach. Can't stand the thought of teaching in a high school, not with the horror stories my uncle has. Not to mention I'd rather not grow old and lonely like him, or for that matter, bald." He ran his hand through his hair and shuddered.

"You won't grow bald," she reached up and, upon reflex, ran her fingers through his hair. Catching herself, she stopped but kept her hand in place. His hair was soft to the touch, though damn. It felt nice to be able to push her fingers into the bed of warm hair. "You've got great hair. And what I mean by that is-"

"I'm not too worried. Uncle Erwin's the only one in the family that's gone bald…" He lifted his hand and slowly peeled her arm away. "It's not as nice as yours is, but it's something." She blinked and reached for a tuft of her own hair, staring down at the split ends.

"My hair's terrible. I didn't have any time to brush it when I woke up. I got a bit side tracked."

"Thinking about me?"

She pulled back and scoffed loudly. "No!" He leaned his shoulder against the wall and held her gaze with his own. Entrancing her and causing her to let her body lean towards him. She immediately pulled herself back and scowled at him. He was enjoying this! "You son of a-"

"Ah don't curse, it's unbecoming of you." She tensed as his hand moved up and his fingers grasped a strand of her hair. His eyes fixated on the strand between his fingers. She held her breath and gazed down, watching as his hand gently swept down her hair. "What have you been up to these last couple of years?"

"I don't have time to talk." Her heart pounded as he closed the gap between them.

"But you have time to stare at me when I'm trying to train someone?" His breath fell upon her cold cheeks, warming them from the morning breeze. Her nostrils opened as his minty breath tickled her senses. She closed her eyes and set her hand on his chest, slipping her fingers down an inch as she stumbled over her thoughts. "You know that's distracting."

"That's a different thing, and fuck you I am not distracting."

"Thinking about you every day was distracting enough." Her eyes slid open and her lower lip fell into a small out as she looked into his eyes. His strong brow had creased and his eyebrows were close together, forming a wrinkle between them. Her heart skipped a beat and her lips pursed together. "Maybe you'd better get on to your class before you're late. You don't want to miss anything."

"It's just the first day…"

"Yeah, and the professors give out all their information today. Don't miss it."

She bowed her head, glancing towards his dirty shirt that loosely covered his abs. Her hand smoothed over them and her thumb gently traced one of the bulges. Clearing her throat, she tore her hand away and glanced back at him. "So if you don't want to teach, like your uncle, what do you want to do?"

"I'm planning on opening my own gym one day. Starting out as a personal trainer. I'm no bodybuilder, obviously I'm nowhere near big enough for that but hell I'm a health nut."

"Really?"

"I don't eat sweets except for occasion."

"No? What do you think of red velvet cupcakes?"

"Is this about that girl again?" His voice was rough and sharp, intended to pierce through her. He obviously knew of Cat's fascination with the cupcake, literally every story she told about her hair color revolved around her favorite snack. "You know she was nothing to me."

"Hey, you're the one that went with her when she asked you out."

"Well she was friends with your sister, so I figured if I couldn't get to you through Tori-maybe I could get to you through her." He threw his hands up, growling as Trina shrugged her shoulders.

"Still you could have asked." He chuckled softly and moved his hand to his forehead, sweeping it down over his eyes.

"Believe me, I tried. That girl was dumber than a pile of bricks. Not to mention when she finally showed me where you lived, you weren't there and your dad wasn't exactly too big on some random guy asking about his daughter."

"Now that's a laugh!"

"I'm not lying." She crossed her arms and looked off to the side. How foolish was she to think that he'd lie about something like that? Her father could be protective if he wanted, but she'd never seen him protective of her. "After that, any attempt I made to reach you was cut off by my uncle or my dad, both thinking I was wasting my time with you and trying to drive their own goddamn agenda!" A hard lump formed in the back of her throat as she listened to his angry tone. There was still a flicker of calm in him, something he must have learned through his training.

"Why are you yelling?"

He paused for a minute and meshed his brows. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to point fingers here, I'm trying to make you see that you don't need to be so quick to dismiss people-if anyone, me." He cupped her cheek with his hand and gently moved his thumb along her lower lip. Her body leaned towards him and her eyes became heavy. "Listen. If you want to blame me, fine, I'll accept full responsibility. Dad and Uncle Erwin weren't exactly happy that I let anyone or anything 'distract' me, but I didn't care. I wanted to find you. That's all I ever wanted. Dad wanted me to come here, to his Alma Mater and I did, I guess this way he thought I'd stop thinking about you. Never did. Not until you followed Lindsay through those doors."

"Cat thinks I'm mad at her." Trina willed herself to pull away from him. She didn't know what to say, or even if she believed him completely. It wasn't a matter of not trusting him, it was a matter of why else he hadn't come to find her. "I'm not. She's still my friend, so…try not to down her too much."

"Last I remember, you weren't too thrilled with her or any of the people hanging with your sister."

"Well, you remember you asked what I've been up to in the last two years. She and Jade, I'm friendly with now…The others, not so much. There's just something about being lied to and manhandled, then put in the hospital that makes you like someone a lot less."

His voice grew incredibly deep, which frightened her for a brief moment. "What?" That slipped out, and she could feel his body tensing as he was standing practically against her. She didn't hold anything against Beck, or Andre, or Robbie, but she didn't have anything to do with them. "Who did what?"

The bell tower rang out the hour and fifteen minutes, leaving her with only fifteen minutes to get to class. "Nothing. I really need to go." She pulled away from him.

"Trina!"

She jogged backwards, chuckling nervously as he watched her. "You'll be at the club meeting tomorrow, I assume?" Of course he would, he's the president!

"What the hell do you think? And why did someone put you in the hospital!"

"Again, it's nothing! Bye!" She ran off, looking over her shoulder one last time after she crossed the street. In the distance, Jason was moving towards the circular fountain and shaking his head.

She arrived to class with just a minute to spare. Dr. Lindemann was standing at the podium and watched her run by him. "Sorry I'm late!" The man checked his watch.

"You're not late." She threw her stuff down at the end of the aisle and rubbed her left shoulder blade, sighing heavily as sweat ran along her neck.

"Feels like I am."

"I give students a few minutes. Relax and take out your notes. I'm going to lecture a bit today."

"Already? Yes, of course." She sat down and grabbed her backpack. This was good, she would be able to focus her mind on the lecture and not on Jason, or anything else for that matter. She still felt incredibly hot, as if she were running a temperature. "Is it possible to turn on the air, sir?"

"It's cold enough," Dr. Lindemann remarked with some skepticism. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Yeah. Ready for lecture."

* * *

So something's up with his uncle and father. Interesting conversation they had, he's trying to get through to her though he's already under her skin.


	10. Protective Best Friends

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 10 (Protective Best Friends)

Art Appreciation was fascinating and Ms. Prose seemed like a really nice and intelligent woman. Trina was going to enjoy this class and was glad to have selected it despite not knowing what else to choose. Initially she wanted to do Tae Kwon Do, but Lindsay informed her whenever she registered for her classes that Tae Kwon Do was no longer taught on campus-which meant the only way to learn martial arts was through the club.

Not that she had to learn it, but it was good to refine her skills and learn whatever else was left to be taught. However, if the black belts were the teachers and she had to choose between Jason, Lindsay or one of the ones she didn't know to spar with, she would prefer Lindsay. Despite that, Lindsay was always busy and wouldn't really be the one that she could spar with, leaving her with Jason.

With how he could get her worked up, going off of her last two run-ins with him, she wasn't too sure if it was advisable. She knew he wouldn't do anything she didn't want him to, but really it wasn't him she was worried about. During their very active relationship she enjoyed more than just his time with her and when they separated it was devastating, pining away for him as she had did not do well for her urges to see him again.

That said, being around him could be very dangerous, but not in the life threatening way. It was more playing with fire than anything else.

"How was your first day of classes?" Lindsay asked as Trina sat down at her booth in the Mesquite Café. With Lindsay were the other two roommates. Trina sat beside Lindsay and shrugged while dropping her heavy backpack on the ground.

"Well I'm glad to take off the pack for a while. My classes were fun, but I really didn't wake up until my second class." Lindsay frowned at her and she swept her fingers through her hair. "I mean I went to my first morning class, was a little bit sidetracked and regained focus during my second class while almost ending up late."

"Almost? How in the hell could you almost be late?"

"Let's not question that." She didn't want the girls asking too many questions about Jason, especially not with how protective Lindsay was. The girl was a fighter, and everyone would be together tomorrow. The last thing she wanted to see was him hurt because of her.

Lindsay gave her a skeptical look and slowly reached for her drink. "Something's up with you and I can tell. So quit hiding it!"

"I don't want to talk about it." She shifted uncomfortably and folded her hands over one another. She looked guiltily to Lindsay's agitated expression and bowed her head.

Trina understood her best friend's frustration, and perhaps her pain as well. This was a girl she'd entrusted her entire life and soul to, someone that had always been there for her. The one that knew her more than anyone else.

It was Lindsay that learned first about her grandfather's abuse, her father's ignorance. It was Lindsay that heard about that first boyfriend of hers that abused her, she was the one that got her out of that situation.

Surely, if Trina wouldn't tell her if something was wrong, Lindsay might think something was wrong with herself. This wasn't the case. "Linds, I'm sorry, okay?" Lindsay raised an eyebrow and turned her back against the wall, crossing her arms in the process. "It's not that I don't want to tell you, I just don't know what to make of it myself and I'm afraid of how you'd react. I mean, nothing's really _wrong_, things are just weird for me."

Lindsay's face softened and her lips fell momentarily. When she spoke, it was so quiet Trina almost didn't hear her. "Does it have to do with seeing Jason the other day?"

"Something like that." She perched her left cheek onto the palm of her hand and moved her eyes to her right hand, which was placed on the center of the table. "I've built a wall for myself, something nobody's been able to get through, see through or even touch."

"That much is obvious."

"I'm afraid I can't control myself around him, Lindsay. I look at him and it all comes crashing back-everything I felt. The desires, the feelings, the-"

"Whirlwind?"

"Tornado's more like it." Tornado Jason, she couldn't help but to chuckle at the unofficial nickname. It was easy to grasp, how she could just get sucked up into his path, with everything else flying away in his wake. "I was never expecting to see him again."

"You know I'll leave it alone, right?" Lindsay pat her over the hand and smiled kindly at her. "You can tell me anything you want and I won't bother him. I promise. Okay?"

"Okay."

Michelle waved at them, "One question. Who is Jason?" Trina chuckled nervously as Lindsay shrugged.

"An ex of hers-or, he is an ex isn't he?"

"It's complicated," Trina answered. How could she explain it? He still had feelings for her, so it appeared, and she might still be crazy about him but she wasn't sure. She didn't know what she wanted or where she wanted this to go with him, but she wasn't ready to kick him to the curb. "Not so sure if I can call him an ex or not. We're not really together, but…"

"You two just need to talk things out," Francine added. How could they? It seemed the one subject they were avoiding, or she was avoiding, was talking things out with him. She wasn't ready to do that. "Let him know how you feel."

"I don't know how I feel. Right now, seeing him again is just…" It was making her question a lot about herself, about everything she knew. He was still able to take her breath away, still able to hold her in place without even touching her. All that was inside of her was screaming for him, but she wasn't about to give him that satisfaction of knowing this.

No matter how smart he thought he was, she was smarter.

"Anyway let's focus on something else, anything else."

"Okay." Michelle glanced between the two of them and her eyebrows curled up into her long bangs. "How did you and Lindsay meet? We've been wondering."

"Long story," Lindsay laughed. Trina rolled her eyes and pointed towards her friend.

"I thought she stole my lunch box, she thought I stole hers. This was back in the third or fourth grade. We thought the bully stole ours so we went and Lindsay kicked the bully's ass and because I was there, I wound up going to the principal's office with her. Our moms showed up later with the lunchboxes…"

The girls cracked up and Lindsay bowed her head. Looking back on it now, it was a funny memory. Lindsay had always been a fighter, or at least, as long as she knew her. Even as a kid the girl's parents had her in karate. So when they were searching for their lunchboxes, Lindsay was ready to put a stop to the school bully's problems and Trina was tagging along.

It hadn't been the first time they met, so much as the first time they really talked or spent any time together. They had classes with each other before then.

Thanks to Lindsay's brash reaction, they both got in trouble for instigating a fight, but their moms had convinced the principal to let them go with a warning. "I promise you," Lindsay laughed sheepishly and covered her mouth with her hand. "I have never gotten into another fight-"

"Not true."

"-At school!" Lindsay pointed to her and Trina laughed. "Junior high was tricky, yes, and high school was no walk in the park. But I swear I kept my cool."

"You beat the shit out of my first ever boyfriend. And you wonder why I didn't want to tell you about Jason!"

"Well, Jason can hold his own. That first boyfriend? He was a piece of trash."

Marcus was his name. He was a scrawny kid with long black hair that covered one eye and liked to act like he was a depressed maniac. She dated him, god knows why, when she was thirteen. He was interesting at first, and after managing to make her connect with him, he showed his true side.

He was disrespectful, boisterous, constantly shouted profanities at her and called her terrible names. Soon the verbal attacks became physical and controlling, to where he'd start slapping her, then full out punching her.

When Lindsay caught wind of this, she stormed into his house where she was and immediately went on the attack. It was bad enough she suffered abuse from her grandfather when she wasn't dating this lunatic.

After getting rid of him, Lindsay began to teach Trina some self-defense tactics and getting her interested in martial arts. This, of course, led Trina into attending a martial arts camp where she met Jason.

Lindsay had moved before then, but persuaded her to go by constantly telling her how amazing of an experience she could have. So, Trina instead attended the camp rather than going out with some other guy, Ross, who'd just asked her out. That guy had seemed relatively nice, so she was upset about missing out, until Jason won her over.

"Thank god Lindsay didn't kill any of my other boyfriends. You remember Danny?" Lindsay pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. Danny was the one that came between them after Marcus. He dated Trina, then dated Lindsay, playing them both like a fiddle. Lindsay was so close to beating him up after the fight she and Trina wound up having over him, but she managed to calm her friend down somehow.

"What about him?"

"He actually dated Tori a few years ago. Dated Cat after that, then tried to go back to Tori."

"That boy doesn't know when to quit-I still think someone should have capped his ass." Lindsay cracked her neck to the right and glared off to the side. "So. Did you date anyone _after _Jason? I know you had a couple guys before him."

She counted her fingers, squinting in thought. "Well you know about Marcus, you know about Danny." Those were only the first two. "You moved just before I turned fifteen, and when I was fifteen I dated some guy named Randall. He was boring, though."

"No creeps?"

"No, I don't think so. After Randall, he spread rumors about me because I dumped him. So many guys didn't want to give me a chance. I thought I was going to get a date with some guy, Seth, when I was seventeen-but it turned out he paid Cat and Robbie to sing me a song about how he didn't want to go out with me."

"Ass."

"Yep. There was this jock that was a couple years older than I was, named Ross, he wanted to go out with me but I turned him down when I went to the camp."

"And you met a much nicer jock?" Lindsay smirked suggestively and Trina laughed. She hardly considered Jason to be a jock. There was still a difference between athlete and jock-Jason was an athlete.

"Jason was the best man I've ever been with. Hot too." Her cheeks reddened and Lindsay laughed.

"I still don't see what you see in that man." Lindsay turned her hand into her gaze and shrugged. "I'll stand down though until you figure things out. After guys like Marcus and Danny, I don't want to see my best friend hurt again, but if you say he won't hurt you."

"He won't, at least, he hasn't."

"He broke your heart didn't he?"

"Well, that might have been a misunderstanding. I don't really know all the details." She rubbed her neck and closed her eyes. "He hasn't done anything to warrant being attacked by an overprotective best friend, so please, don't do anything to him."

"I won't. I'll be watching though." She laughed and agreed, of course nothing less was expected of the woman.

"I'm a bit rusty and I need a recurring sparring partner. I'm left with two options. You or Jason."

"Well you need someone that's always there, I'm not always able to attend meetings. So…"

"So it's Jason." She exhaled sharply and tucked her thumb beneath her left. "I was afraid of that."

"Just go for another partner if you're uncomfortable with him."

"I'm not, and I don't know any of the others."

"He'll make you train with them too, you know. It's good to switch up opponents so you don't get too used to fighting the same person."

"Yeah, but I guess I'll let that happen as it does." In the meantime, she was going to get some studying done. After all, all three instructors had given some material in their lectures. Dr. Paddack wanted them to read a trial, Dr. Lindemann spoke of the early railroads starting up in the 1860s and Ms. Prose had gone over some renaissance paintings.

Tomorrow she'd have extra with Dr. Lindemann's Western Civilization class. Adding all that studying to her friends and this martial arts club, her schedule was full.

* * *

As a little gift for the holidays I'll give you some extra stuff.


	11. Dangerous Distraction

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 11 (Dangerous Distraction)

Tuesday was a bitter and cold day, and it was supposed to start raining, so the group meeting was held at the gym. She was the first to arrive, so she opted to start her studying.

The gym was large and had two basketball courts inside. There were a couple tables scattered about, and a large mat in the center. She pulled up a chair at one of the tables and grabbed her history textbook. Crossing her left leg over her right, she propped the book open in her lap and leaned back. "Okay, so starting out after Lincoln's assassination…" She flipped through the pages and pressed her lips together as she found the first chapter Dr. Lindemann wanted them to read.

She read for about ten minutes before someone else entered the gym and turned on a television nearby, to her agitation and dismay. Lifting her head, she saw someone standing by a metal frame with a television inside. _"Who puts a TV in a gym?"_ What was worse was they put it on a channel with a music countdown, and the song playing was by the pop band Cascada. The song itself was _Dangerous_. She huffed and turned her eyes back to the book. _"I've only heard that about a million times."_

While reading, her foot began to tap with the beat. Her heart moved in sync with the tune and her eyes darted up in time to see Jason walking in with another club member. The two were talking about current events and what was going to be discussed, but she could hardly pay attention.

Jason looked over to the television, raising his eyebrow and shaking his head. The words played now in Trina's head and she felt the urge to get up and move over to him. What was this? No, she already knew.

"Turn it off," Jason demanded. "I can't think with that song playing." The person at the stand nodded and quickly shut off the television, but the lyrics remained in Trina's head as she studied this man. "Thank you."

Laughing to herself, she glanced back to the book. Jason hated pop type music, just as she did. It wasn't so much the genre as it was practically all she ever heard her sister sing. Most pop songs made her want to vomit for that reason.

"Maybe you could just move," Lindsay entered the room, muttering at him. Jason scoffed and returned to his conversation. Lindsay sat on the corner of the table beside Trina and folded her legs over. "It's better than _Bad Boy_ by Cascada." Trina's face went sour and she quickly shook her head.

"I never thought so many pop songs could fit my life, it's disturbing."

Lindsay shrugged and planed her palms on the table behind her back. "Pop, country, rock, even rap…it doesn't matter what genre it is. Music is a door to the heart for a reason. If you can relate, then it's good music. If it pulls at your emotions, you're good."

"Yeah, but I hate pop almost as much as Jason. When you've heard your stepsister sing it to death, it gets old."

"What music does he like?"

"Rock, I think, maybe country." Reading the textbook was beginning to become a struggle now that she had distractions, but of course this wasn't the place to be studying. "I like any genre myself besides Pop. Which, is ironic considering I actually like Shakira and Christina Aguilera."

Those two were her favorite singers of all time because their songs were what spoke most of all to her. _Loca_, _Addicted to You,_ and _She Wolf_ by Shakira or _Fighter_ by Christina Aguilera were among the best. "Seriously, those two artists make up the majority of my playlists."

"Shakira's the only good pop artist, Aguilera is awesome though."

"Basically." She turned a page in her book, sighing heavily as a couple of black belts walked up to her table. She shut the book and looked up to the two men. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Jason glancing over. A smirk curled at her lips and she rolled her eyes back to the men. "Hello boys. Can I help you?"

"We were just wondering if you'd be interested in sparring," said the brunette on the right. "You're new so we wanted to see what you've got."

"I suppose I can. I'm just a little rusty."

"Well today's a good day to get back in, Jason's having a mock tourney today."

"Really?"

"Yep. Everyone's already been placed for today's meeting, but you can still participate." When else would she get an opportunity to one up Jason in front of everyone? For once she could wipe off that cocky grin he's had for the last few days. "It's between ranks, so all the black belts against each other, the white belts against each other and so on."

"I got it, that makes sense."

"Anyway, I'm Roger, and this is Andrew." He turned and pointed to a woman in the corner practicing a formation. "That's Christy, and the other black belt is Tomas. If you can beat Tomas, since he's the one that's the lowest placing at our belt level, you can get into the tournament."

"You should come up with a nickname," Andrew laughed, "All of us black belts have them." Her eyebrows rose as Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Lindsay's the Chameleon, Roger here's the dragon and I'm-"

"So animal names?" She wondered about the significance. She couldn't picture Lindsay as a chameleon, but then the girl did always like camouflage. Her eyes drifted to Jason and her lip curved up once more. "What's Jason? 'puppy'?" Lindsay covered her mouth and Andrew laughed.

"He's the Wolf."

"Then I'll be the Lioness if it isn't taken." The Lion versus the Wolf, what a clash it would be. Determination brimmed in her eyes as her hands slowly closed together. "What's Jason's placement?"

"He placed top," Lindsay muttered. "If you manage to get through all the rest, you'd go against him last."

"Then I'll do it. We have a rematch to settle." She walked towards Jason, sensually turning her hips as she did so and catching his attention. He faced her and crossed his arms. "Hey Jason." She lifted her hand up and slid her index finger down the center of his chest, stopping in the middle and poking forward while glaring fiercely into his eyes. "Count me in on the mock tournament. I'm taking you out, right here, right now."

"Yeah, I don't think so." Jason circled his hand around her wrist and smirked back while pushing her arm down. "You think you can just waltz in here, challenge me, and win?"

"How good do you think I am?"

"Driven." His eyes slanted and his lips turned to a frown. "I told you, my uncle and my father don't want distractions. I've practiced continually, nonstop for years. You come in saying you're a tad rusty. I'm going to enjoy this challenge."

"I'm not that rusty, Jason." She turned around and moved her hands to her hips, deepening her smirk as everyone in the room watched the exchange with silence. "If anyone's cutting your arrogant ass to size, it may as well be me. I'm just surprised Lindsay isn't better than you…"

"Who says she isn't? She didn't participate in the tournament placing." She paused and looked towards Lindsay with a gasp. Her friend smiled at her and shrugged. "She's the only one better than me around here."

"Damn. Well, I'm not trying to show her up." She felt him step up behind her. His breath fell onto her bare neck and sent curls of chills throughout her body.

"Good luck, Vega." She closed her eyes and tilted her head upwards, sighing heavily as his hot breath softened her rigid muscles.

"Try and keep up, Jason." Thinking she had him beat and off guard, she instantly twisted around and attempted to bring a back-fist towards him. His hand flew up and caught hers. Her eyes widened and her lips parted as his smirk increased.

"You'll get your chance to hit me."

"Asshole." She pulled her fist back, growling vehemently as Jason moved his wrists behind his back.

"Let's see if you can remember my weaknesses. Just know I've been working on those."

"Well…" She took a step back and spread her arms out, bowing slightly. "Until then."

"Later." He reached out, curling his fingers beneath her chin and pulling her inwards. She tore herself away and shot a glare into his eyes. "Unless you're wanting to go now."

"You know, I'm realizing something. You've never talked much about your uncle or your father. From what I've heard of my sister's teacher, he's no asshole."

"I don't talk about my shit, you know that. I'm here for the same reason you are, forging my own path in life away from them-but at the very least I'm bearing in mind that they are still family."

"Is that supposed to imply something?"

"You figure it out." Jason looked to the doorway as a short man with a blonde buzz cut stepped in. "Tomas is here now, so if you want to get to me in the tournament, now's your opportunity. Though, it'll have to wait until after the meeting-I still have to go over details and events."

"Whatever." She walked past him and stepped beside Tomas, turning a sharp glare on the man. He backed away, yelping at her. "You're going down first. Your chance to run starts now and ends when we meet." Jason chuckled and began his move to the center of the room. Nothing was stopping her from meeting him in battle.

The meeting itself was about an hour lengthwise, the tournaments lasted a while. When the blackbelts started, the matches were somewhat long. Lindsay had to leave halfway through. Eventually Trina succeeded in reaching Jason.

Their match lasted an incredibly long time, and nearly everyone was gone. They squared off, both sweaty and panting heavily. During the match somewhere Jason had removed his shirt as it was getting too heavy from the sweat.

His hair hung in front of his eyes and his nostrils were opening and closing like that of a bull. He stood with his legs spread, knees bent. She was mimicking his pose and watching closely whenever he moved.

Her eyes shot down to his feet as he moved his right over his left, then swept his left beneath and out to the side. His feet, she knew that's where he had to be struck. He never left his feet unguarded though, if she could get close enough she could sweep him onto his back.

"I know what you're thinking," Jason tucked his elbows back and Trina's eyes darted up to his. "Analyzing my every move, checking old weaknesses. I can still come crashing down if you go after my ankles, sure, but that being said I've worked on keeping people at a distance. Much like you, I assume?"

"Don't assume, it makes you look like an ass."

"I have no trouble admitting that I am."

"I have my reasons for keeping people at a distance!" He cracked his neck to the right and scoffed at her. "And you're still slower than I am!" She charged him, screaming in fury.

He sidestepped out of the way and brought his hand down in a knife-hand strike to her lower back. She lurched forward, then kicked back, striking him in the chest. His hand reached over and grabbed her ankle, holding her in place. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyebrows shot up and her teeth clenched.

"Don't fight angry, Trina. It leaves you open and becomes the most glaring weakness that your opponent can take advantage of." She pulled her foot away and moved backwards, bending as if she were about to pounce. "You remember those scars you always asked about at camp?"

"What?"

He pointed to the pinkish circles just beneath his right chest, the slashes on his abs, then turned around to show the familiar swirls on his back. Jason turned his head over his shoulder, glancing back at her with a hardened expression. "My uncle made those."

Her heart stalled and her body numbed as she hesitated to reach out. At camp, whenever they would cuddle after their time together, she'd trace those marks with her finger and whenever she'd ask about them he would clam up.

In her mind, she pictured Mr. Sikowitz, but how could he have ever done that? He wasn't a violent man. "He's not my grandfather….he's not violent."

"I didn't say he was." Jason turned around and flexed his muscles and exhaled slowly. "He's not abusive. Neither is my dad."

"Then what's the reason for the scars?"

"Martial Arts, fighting, boxing…it's been my entire life. It's in my blood. I told you at that camp I've been training all my life, it's true. Uncle Erwin and my dad were sibling karate experts, so was my grandfather and his father before him."

"Why tell me this?"

"Because it's who I am, what I come from. I've accepted it, I'm trying to get away from that sure but I've accepted it." He circled her and she started to sneer. "Hiding it isn't going to make the marks go away. By the way, those marks are from Uncle Erwin's cane."

"Why was he so hard on you?"

"Because he failed. He went into a karate tournament and lost, as a result my grandfather busted his leg up. So he had to become a teacher. He and Dad have pushed me so hard throughout my life because they wanted me to succeed where they failed-they were trying to live their lives through me. I don't agree with them on that part. I am my own person, I don't have to satisfy them, but I'm not going to run away and abandon them."

"Are you trying to say something?"

"Lindsay might have mentioned that you wanted nothing to do with them." She rolled her eyes and scowled. He likely asked and Lindsay told him in annoyance. "I won't say anything about it, especially since I know how much stress you went through with them."

"Shut up and fight me."

"How long have you been a martial artist?"

"Since I was thirteen. You know that."

"Okay." Jason crouched and extended his arm, curling his fingers inwards. "Since you're so determined. Bring it. I'm telling you, fighting with anger and because you want to get the better of me is not going to work."

"Fuck you." She charged him once more and threw a punch towards his jaw, grinning as her fist came within inches of his face. His eyes widened and he snapped his head out of the way. Her arm shot past him and his hand reached up, grabbing her elbow.

He moved it behind her back and moved her forward, pressing her up against the wall. "First rule in sparring, you don't go after the person's face. You know that, they said that all the time at the camp." He released her and she spun around, slamming her back against the wall and flattening her palms onto it.

She looked up at him, her chest heaving as adrenaline coursed through her. Their faces were inches apart, his arm was folded above her head and his eyes were narrow.

The air around them grew dense and their breaths turned shallow. Trina pressed her lips tight together and swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She watched his eyes move to her lips and his head tilted gently to the right. Her heartbeat generated the only sound in the room.

They were alone.

"You called me a distraction," Trina whispered, "But you're a big one."

"Comes with territory." His free hand moved up and the back of his fingers moved down the side of her face. She closed her eyes and slipped her fingers into her palms, holding her breath as his hand moved along her neck and brushed down her arm. "What are you doing here, Trina? Who are you trying to fool? Who are you trying to impress?"

"Oh god, just shut up."

"You don't need to change yourself." His voice softened and Trina's eyelids opened partially. A deep yearning tore through her, breaking through what she was fighting against.

"What. What is the point of all this, Jason? You don't love me, how could you?" He frowned as she tucked her lip into a smirk. "Who I am? I don't know. I know what I want."

"Maybe you think you know. You don't want to abandon them, you still need them. Maybe not your stepfamily, maybe not your grandfather, but you don't get to choose family usually. As for loving you, I've never stopped. Why are you so against believing that?"

"I have my reasons."

"You don't trust me?"

"No I trust you. That's a different thing."

"Not much."

She lifted her arms and curled them around his neck. His eyebrows rose as she tangled her fingers into his hair. "You think you know me, show me."

"I feel the tension too." His lips clamped and his chest expanded, brushing up against hers. She closed her eyes and breathed in as he moved closer to her. "You are tempting. I won't take advantage of you, no matter how much I want you."

"I know you won't. That's the problem." She lifted her leg up and curled it around his waist. He let out a grunt as she pulled his hips against hers. She wanted to feel him, she wanted to remember for once how it felt to have someone who could make her feel so empowered. "Just this once, I'll let you do what you want."

Jason looked over his shoulders, his jaw locked up and he returned his gaze to hers. She lifted her eyebrows and he smiled softly. "I'm an asshole, but I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're not hurting me." What was hurting was how she felt whenever she was around him. Maybe if she got this out of the way, she wouldn't feel this way anymore. "It's just sex, it's just a little harmless sex. With you, I don't think it can be harmful." One of two things could happen if she went through with this. Her urges would die down and the tension would go away, or they'd get worse.

She was aiming for the first. Hopefully, she wouldn't be so confused anymore.

"Just this once then." Jason lifted her other leg and locked it around her waist. Feeling gravity's pull, she gasped out and clung tightly to his neck as he pressed her up against the wall. Their lips crashed together and her hands grasped once more for his hair. His hands moved up along her back a moan rose up in her throat at the familiar feeling of his body against hers.

Just this once, she would let her defenses down for him. She promised herself that once past this beautiful distraction she would focus on what was important. Though seemingly a contradiction, as what was important was what she wanted, and what she wanted right now was the very man holding his arms tight around her.

It was driving her mad, driving her wild, but those cravings would go away. They had to, because he was just a constant reminder of the person she'd pushed away for so long and the person she was scared to let out because _nobody cared about that person_.

Nobody loved that person except Jason, by his own admittance. She didn't want to believe him, she wanted to believe that by giving him herself once more he'd be done with her and she, him.

* * *

Ah Trina, I don't think that's going to make things any better for you.


	12. Oil to the Fire

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 12 (Oil to the Fire)

"That was…something else." Trina pulled her uniform on and tightened the belt around her waist. Jason stood against the wall, his arms crossed and his eyes bearing down on her.

Her body felt like it had been struck by a wrecking ball, but it wasn't painful. She was relaxed, feeling more relaxed than she had since she was at camp. His touch lingered on her even now that they were dressed. His kiss had been burnt into her skin, and the feeling of him inside of her left her wanting more. "Feel better now?" Jason asked in a quiet, somewhat nonchalant tone.

"Yes. At least Lindsay just thinks we're sparring." How long had they been at it? She felt herself go many times with him, long before he was finished with her. "You've still got a lot of that stamina, are you sure you've never been with anyone else?"

"Positive." He rolled his eyes and pushed away from the wall. "Anyway, I'm visiting California this weekend." She rubbed her left shoulder and cracked her neck to that side, grunting gently. Her heart skipped a beat and she turned her eyes towards him.

"Why?"

"Because that's where my uncle lives, remember? I'm going to visit. He wants to see how I'm doing." She frowned and moved to him, looking to his clothed chest and remembering the scars. Was his uncle going to make him fight again?

"You don't mean-"

"He's past his 'training' days, Trina. Though, that's what he'd like to say...It's been about a year since I've seen him though." Jason grabbed a towel from a nearby bin and started two wipe his face. A wrinkle formed between Trina's eyebrows, she was taken aback by this.

"Seriously? You haven't even seen him in that long? Why not?

"Yeah, dad's kept me out of California for a while. I did say they thought you were a distraction. The more I pushed to find you, the more they pushed to keep me away." Judging who his uncle was, she understood how it could have been that she and Jason hadn't found each other. The only connection that Jason knew about that tied her to him was Tori, and Tori being in Sikowitz's class made it easy for the man to keep Jason away.

"Why should they care if I'm a distraction? Why should they care if we're together?"

"Did I say I was one hundred percent away from them?" She frowned as Jason threw the towel into the dirty towels bin. "You say you've got it bad with your grandfather demanding you get As and your stepmom wanting you to focus entirely on education-to my dad and Uncle my life better be only one thing. I don't have time for friends, don't have time for lovers, don't have time for anything but school. Hell, they want me to be the fucking valedictorian-and you know I'm not that smart!"

"True. I am smarter."

"Not now, please." He deadpanned and Trina bowed her head. "All they're concerned about is that I'm the best. The only thing they stop at is the illegal stuff, at least I don't have to worry about going into an underground cage match." A vain laugh fell from his lips and his eyes grew cold. "To be honest, they have enough sense to know that when I tell them I'm not going to do something, that even if they force it I'm not giving in. But I'm not a fighter like they want me to be. I know who I am, I know what I want to be in life and where I want to go."

"It sure seems like they made you into a fighter."

"They did." He cracked his knuckles and started for the door, she quickly followed after him to continue their conversation. He walked fully erect, with his fists closed and his jaw locked as his eyes fixated on the path before him.

"It doesn't look like you are though. I mean, you're strong but you're not even that big." She felt of his arm and paused as he flexed his muscle.

"Personal trainer, remember. A good weightlifter knows how to tone his body, Trina. The musclebound freaks usually do it for show. I don't want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I wouldn't mind being strong like he is."

"Good, giants turn me off." She seethed and Jason laughed. When she came back to earth, she caught him smirking at her.

"Good to see I still turn you on."

"Did I say you turned me on?"

"So all that moaning and screaming back there was for show?" Her cheeks flushed and she immediately tried to defend herself.

"No-yes-I-" She growled as he laughed again. She was trying not to think of what they'd just done. It had an adverse effect on her and now the confusion she'd been struggling with was only worse. "I can't believe you still let them treat you that way."

"Who? Dad and Uncle Erwin? I don't let them treat me any way."

"I mean you still let them tell you that actually having a life is bad."

"You were here for what we just did, right? I don't let them tell me anything. I just let them talk, then I do what I like." He opened the door for her and she walked out, then turned to face him. "You know, you never did answer my question the other day."

"What question?"

"About who put you in the hospital or who manhandled you. What was all that about?"

"Nothing really, I just slipped up." They walked down the street and Trina looked up to feel the cold breeze striking her. It was cooling the fire inside of her, but not by much. "It was two separate incidents I guess."

"So what happened? If you don't mind me asking?"

"I don't know. The manhandling was when Beck restrained me." He knew who Beck was, he knew all of them from the stories she'd told him at camp. So there was no reason to explain to him who the face was behind the name. Jason huffed as Trina rubbed her bare arms, shivering. "Damn, I didn't think it would be so cold in the middle of August!"

"Well it did rain and the sun's covered up. Texas weather is a bit unpredictable." He removed his upper uniform and placed it over her. She grabbed the edges and closed it around her body with a heavy sigh. "You really should have considered buying one with longer sleeves."

"Excuse me for thinking moving from a hot state to a hot state meant I wasn't going to need sleeves."

"Usually you don't." She snuggled into the jacket and glanced over at him with a slight daze. "Anyway carry on, why did Beck restrain you?"

"Because I was pushing him and the guys, starting to fight. They were doing some act, trying to fight over me, I got caught up in the middle trying to stop them and he grabbed me. I stepped on his foot, ran into the closet and called dad down-where they promptly convinced him they were doing some puppet show…"

"And he believed them?" Jason frowned as Trina's body tensed and her gaze sharpened on the street below her.

"Of course he did. They're Tori's friends, why would they ever do anything wrong? Dad listens to their shit more than he listens to me anymore. Whatever Holly says, whatever Tori says, he's fucking whipped!"

"Why did they feel the need to do that crap anyway?"

"Because of me, I was being stupid and jealous." He raised an eyebrow and she shook her head at him. "I heard you were in town, or thought you were, and I was still upset that Cat dragged you off before, so I wanted you to hear that I was with someone…and the perfect opportunity arose when Beck and Jade had their fight, so I used the school's most popular dickhead to try and get to you. Clearly! It didn't work! You probably never heard about it, and I got punished by it."

"Actually I think my uncle did mention something about that." He rubbed his chin and Trina felt her heart sink. "As for being 'punished', you didn't need that. You're right though, that was stupid of you." He smirked and she shoved him.

"Shut up!"

After he caught his balance he cleared his throat and moved back beside her, laughing slightly. "Now, what about the whole hospital thing. Who and why?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because it's you…I care about you. Obviously."

She rolled her eyes and hugged the jacket tighter around her body as another cold breeze flew over her. "It was Robbie. Lane tried to get my sister and her friends to talk about what happened-sounds like Andre didn't care about anything other than a date and my sister was the only one trying to figure out what happened. In the end none of them figured it out."

"Then how do you know it was Robbie and you still didn't tell me what happened."

She groaned and turned around, raising her voice to match her annoyance. "Tori put me in one of her stupid plays, probably to embarrass me or something I don't know, and Robbie cut my wire while using that puppet as an excuse." Jason's jaw dropped and he stopped walking. Anger flashed through his eyes and his lips slowly closed. "I fell about ten or fifteen feet, the only reason I made it out is because I crashed into the stage props and the plaster walls that slowed me down. The reason I know it was Robbie was because Jade forced it out of him a few days later."

"Okay. I'm sorry." Her heart stalled as she looked into his apologetic gaze. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'm glad you're okay." She smiled sadly and lifted her shoulders.

"It's fine. You know, I don't think much about them. My sister's got her friends, I've got mine. I'm probably glad Lindsay wasn't there though. She doesn't know all that."

"That girl scares me sometimes."

"I think she scares all of us, I had to talk her out of kicking _your_ ass." So perhaps it was best Lindsay didn't know about what she'd done with Jason. "I got her to promise to stand down."

"She's pretty protective of you. That's a good friend."

"You remember me talking about Marcus and Danny?"

"Briefly."

"She kicked their asses. If she was living in LA when I dated Randall, she might have kicked his too." His hand grasped hers and she stopped walking, feeling a sudden shift of energy. Turning towards him, she looked into his eyes and curled her eyebrows together. "What are you doing?"

"Look. I'm sorry I couldn't find you. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"Jason don't do this…" Her eyes became heavy and her chest tightened.

"I'm not going to give up on you, Trina. To tell the truth, I don't think you want me to either."

"Stop it. I don't know what I want, okay? I've said that. Right now I'm just trying to focus on education, trying to focus on getting my life straightened out. I don't have time to worry about…I don't know…"

"I love you." She sighed as he cupped her cheek in his hand.

"You can't love me. That person that you love, no one wants her."

"I do."

"Why? Why do you give a shit?"

"Because that's who you are. Strong, brave, happy…the person I fell in love with, and for some reason, even though you're away from your family, you're still trying to push that down. You don't have to."

"Yes. I do." She pushed herself away from him and walked backwards, staring him down. "I-I have to go. Lindsay's worried." He lowered his arms and she watched as his chest sank.

"You know you can't push me away forever. Unless you really don't want me around, if that's the case, just tell me and I'll leave it at that."

"I can't!" How could she tell him she didn't want him around when doing so would be a lie? She swept her hand through her hair and looked over her shoulder. "I thought…I thought I could forget about how it felt-I just made it worse."

"What are you talking about now?"

"Nothing." She clenched her eyes shut and rushed off to her apartment, ignoring his calling out to her. How many times was this going to happen?

She was torn, and it was damaging. She didn't want to be away from him, she couldn't imagine going through losing him again. Why did she have to go and have sex with him again? It tore open something that had been sealed so long ago, like a Band-Aid being ripped off an open wound.

Rushing into the apartment, Trina slammed the door and pressed her back against it. She pushed her hands through her hair and sank to the ground, her heart was racing a mile a minute and her body felt sore and tense.

"Trina?" Lindsay walked around the counter and stared at her with a shocked gaze. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I don't know." She pushed herself up and cleared her throat. "Jason and I finished our match." Lindsay glanced at the clock and whistled, it had been several hours since the match had even begun. "He, uh, he lasted a long time but I won…"

"Really?" He probably won, to be honest, but they never actually finished that match. Lindsay crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Because you're wearing his upper uniform and you-" The woman's lips formed a circle as her nose crinkled. She swayed her hand in front of her face. "You smell like sex."

"I probably just need a shower."

"Trina…did you-"

"Yes, but leave it alone!" She rushed past her startled friend and hurried into the restroom.

An hour later, she heard Jason's voice in the front room and poked her head out to see him talking to Lindsay. In his hand was a textbook. Her eyes widened and she looked over to her desk, groaning at the realization that she'd forgotten her history book.

"I'll take that," Lindsay remarked after giving him a stern and knowing look. "You better not hurt her, got that?" He leaned his head back and slowly nodded.

"I wouldn't."

"Be careful with her. If something happens to her, you go deal with me. It's not my business what you two do on your own time, but her feelings are my business. She's like a sister to me."

"I understand that."

"All right. Now take your jacket." Lindsay shoved the jacket against his chest and slowly pushed him towards the door. After he was gone, Trina closed the door to ensure Lindsay didn't see her watching.

* * *

Well his going back will be interesting. So we learned a bit more here.


	13. Distractions Cloud Judgment

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: To the ass that left the "selfish" anon response I couldn't explain myself to-I am at family for vacation and am not able to update as frequently so I wanted to give my readers an extra chapter or two for the holidays. For the rest of my readers who appreciate the story and the hard work I put into making my writing good, enjoy this chapter for the holidays.

* * *

Chapter 13 (Distractions Cloud Judgment)

_No distractions!_

Jason tapped his kneecap while gazing out the car window. His father, a stout figure with bushy brows and a hairy chin, was yammering on about the newest cowboy hat that he'd bought at the local store. Jason couldn't get his mind off Trina fast enough to listen, however.

They were in Las Angeles now, and he hadn't seen Trina since Tuesday. He had in mind what he wanted to do on his visit here, and seeing his uncle wasn't on the forefront of his mind.

It was Friday afternoon and his uncle would still have class. Tori and her friends still had him as a teacher in this, their final year of high school. "I don't care about your hat, dad." His father frowned and reached over, patting him on the shoulder.

"You okay there, son? You seem like something's bothering you. Are you doing well in your classes?"

"Doing just fine, Pop. You know classes only just started, right?" He turned his head over and narrowed his eyes at the old man. Let nobody be misinformed into thinking he didn't care about his father or his uncle, he got along with them just fine for the most part. "I'm just irritable. Have been all week."

"Why? Is something bothering you? You know the rule, don't get involved in anything that's going to keep you from-"

"Being the best, yes I know. Don't live life and so on." He circled his hand in the air and rolled his eyes. How could he tell his father he'd been thinking about what Trina told him before? In regards to Tori's male friends, especially served as a source of irritation. "So why are we visiting Uncle Psycho again?"

"Jason, come on, you're better than that."

"Just answer me please." His father exhaled and turned the corner.

"Because he wants to see you. There's something he's doing with his class and he wants you to be a part of it." Jason cleared his throat and turned his chin onto his knuckles.

"I don't want anything to do with anyone in his class, Dad."

"I'm sure you'll like what he's got in mind."

"I'm sure I won't." The last people he wanted to see were in that class. He didn't want to see Cat, because something told him Trina would accuse him again of being with the redhead. He didn't to see the guy with the puppet because he was pissed off about hearing Trina was sent to the hospital. He didn't want to see Beck because he was also pissed off with that guy. "Since when do I like what Uncle Psycho suggests?'

"Would you stop calling him that?"

"It's better than Erwin. Even you have to admit that-but then even Harold is an insane name. Thank god Mom had the audacity to give me a good name. I certainly wouldn't be attracting the women with a name like those."

"Don't even think that." Harold pointed a stern finger at him, causing him to jolt back. "You don't have time for women, Son." He lowered his hand onto the windowsill and his nostrils flared out.

"Dad, I'm never going to be a fighter like you or Uncle Erwin. Just because I am into martial arts doesn't mean that's what I'm going to go into. I intend to be a personal trainer sure, open up my own gym yes, but I will never be a fighter."

"It's in your blood. Even your great grandfather was a wrestler. Your grandfather boxed. Erwin and I practiced Tae Kwon Do, and you can be a fighter too. Besides, professional fighters make a lot of money."

"Not exactly concerned about money."

"Would you rather be making what your uncle makes off teaching?"

"I'm not going to be a teacher either."

"Then you'll be stuck flipping burgers or something."

"Lots of confidence you have in your son, there." He glared at the Hollywood Arts sign in front of them and pressed his lips tightly together. Sikowitz would be on his lunch break right now, which was the opportune moment to see him and figure out what the hell he wanted. "God I haven't been around here in forever."

"Not since you went out with that, what was it, red haired girl?"

"Her name was Cat." He rolled his eyes once more and pushed open the door. "The source of some frustration." He muttered his words so his father wouldn't hear. There were certain things he didn't need his old man asking questions about. The last thing he wanted either him or Sikowitz knowing was he still had feelings for Trina. Especially not his uncle, since that could cause some amount of drama.

"Anyway, your uncle and I are going to try and get you to see that it isn't so bad being a fighter."

"Fighting should be a self-defense thing, not an offensive thing."

"Well yes, but besides that Jason. Being a professional fighter can not only make you a lot of money but it can give you a kind of life you want. You talk about women, you talk about money and building a happy life-well professional fighters get plenty of women, plenty of money, and so on."

"Which is why you don't even remember which woman you slept with that gave birth to me." He smirked back at his father, who stumbled for a response. Someone his father slept with had to give him up for reasons beyond his knowledge, they literally placed him in a basket and left a note telling Harold that he was his son and his name was Jason.

"Well I-"

"I don't want that. I want one woman, and only one. I want a decent job a good life, the whole nine yards-I don't give a rat's ass about stardom, fame, money, women, or all that stuff that you and old Uncle fucker failed to achieve." Harold was redfaced and Jason could practically see the steam coming out of his father's ears. "Speaking of Uncle Erwin! Look at him, what happened to the dream? Oh right, he failed and grandpa busted him up for it. Now he's a lonely bald headed man that still lives with grandma!"

"You know better than to talk about your uncle that way-"

"As if it's not true!" Jason dusted off his pants and straightened his shirt. He really was in the mood for a fight now, which wasn't exactly the best thing that could have happened today. "Don't think for an instant that you know best, because you don't. You don't know me. I'm not going to live your dream."

"Jason!" Sikowitz's cheery voice startled him. He turned on his heel to see his uncle walking forward. The man had a robe on with multiple scarves and a coconut in his hand. "How are you!" Jason mustered a fake smile and let his uncle hug him. "Sorry I had to pull you away from Midwestern, but don't worry, it's just this weekend. You can get right back to class on Monday."

"Whatever you have in mind, it'd better be something I feel like doing otherwise there's no dice."

"Don't you worry! I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do." Sikowitz sipped the coconut milk through a straw and led his nephew and brother towards the doors. "I just want your help in roughing up a couple of my students for a play."

"What?" He was skeptical and stunned by the man's suggestion. He wasn't going to just beat someone up because his uncle wanted him to! "I'm not going to hurt someone because you say to."

"Don't worry, you won't beat them up, they'll be fighting back."

"That's not what I mean! You're only doing this to get me to go the path you and dad want me to go, you're not doing this for them. You're selfish, and you know it."

"Look. Jason." Sikowitz faced him and pat his shoulder, giving him a crazed glint in his eyes. "This play I'm doing, the people in it need to know how to fight. So you're going to train them. They also need to look like they've been in a fight. They've signed waivers, they understand the cost…it's just a little bumping and they'll be fine."

"So, what part of this is _legal?"_

"It's all legal!" Sikowitz spread his arms out, chuckling softly. "They agreed to train, agreed fight a real fighter-"

"I am not a fighter! Damn it!"

"Yes, but you're no romantic either."

"This is true." He shrugged and glanced off to the side. "There's absolutely no romance in my life. I'm one hundred percent, completely devoted to my studies and the martial arts club." His shoulders dropped and his voice lowered as his mind traveled to Trina. For her sake, he had to prevent his uncle or father knowing she was back in his life. "Hopelessly devoted…"

"It's for a play, and besides, you can choose your apprentices." Jason crossed his arms as he followed his uncle to the classroom. "Everyone in the class is involved, but only three need to be trained and you can choose the three. I'll base the roles on who you choose, just to spice things up."

Jason stared at the coconut in the man's hand and lowered his voice. "Just how much coconut milk have you been drinking, Uncle?"

"Not enough, apparently."

"Great."

He followed his uncle into the classroom and was immediately met with gasping women. He rolled his eyes and scanned the room, frowning when he saw Cat sitting in one of the chairs.

His body tensed, however, when he saw Robbie, Andre and Beck. Almost instantly his mind flashed back to what Trina informed him of. The three men looked up at him with subtle smiles and he quickly glanced to his uncle.

"You know, maybe I will help you out, Uncle. Only this one time, however."

"Really?" The man was surprised and made a quick effort to recover. "All right! Class! Say hello to my nephew. Some of you may have met him before-"

"I remember him!" Tori cheered. He crinkled his nose and saw Jade shoot the girl a look. "I should have broken character before Cat, I knew I should have."

"I don't think that would have made a difference," Jason remarked, "I don't find you all that cute." Tori's jaw dropped and some of the other classmates snickered. Perhaps it was the first time someone told her she wasn't attractive. "Sorry, blame my uncle and dad for that. Apparently I don't have time for women." He sucked in some air through his teeth and shot a side glare at Sikowitz. "They so enjoyed keeping me from the one person I wanted to be with."

"Are you still on that?" Sikowitz set his coconut on his desk with a heavy sigh. "It's been two years, let it go. There are more important things than being with that woman. She's a distraction. She'll impair your vision and judgment."

"Maybe." He scoffed and shot a look at the three men that he was now targeting in his mind.

"Besides, she's gone now. God knows where she went, New York or New Jersey." Jason crossed his arms and saw Jade muttering something, of course this girl must know where Trina was.

"Whatever, we're done talking about her. You've introduced me, now tell them your intention. Tell them your intention or I do not do this."

"Yes." Sikowitz moved forward and clapped his hands, gaining the class's attention. "So class, my nephew's here to teach three of you how to fight. Those three will be cast in the play I'm doing about three warriors racing to rescue a queen from the throes of-"

"We know the play," Beck replied, "You've gone on and on about it." Sikowitz huffed and Jason had to try and stifle a laugh. Beck looked over to Jason with a smile and admiration. "So who gets to work with you? I'd love to learn to fight."

"That's the last thing you need," Jade scoffed.

"Knowing how to fight isn't all that great, Beckett," Jason crossed his arms and sneered at the three men he wanted. "Let me show you why. Beck, Andre and the guy with the puppet." Sikowitz was dumbfounded and Robbie looked shocked to be chosen.

"You're kidding," Andre muttered, "You want Shapiro? Why?"

"Yeah, why them?" Tori inquired. "They star in everything."

"Like you don't? You heard me. I want the three idiots." Jason stormed out of the classroom, stopping to look back at his uncle. "Prep them. I'll have them looking and acting like warriors in no time. Remember, this is the last time I do this for you, Uncle." And yet he was not doing it for him.

* * *

There you go. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and we get to see a little more of what's happening on his end.


	14. Chat with Dad

Tender Distractions

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 14 (Chat with Dad)

"Still bored?" Lindsay stood at the fridge, watching Trina at the table. She was staring at her closed textbooks, she finished all her studying for the week, so she had absolutely nothing to do. "We could go to the mall if you'd like."

"Nothing there that I'm interested in right now. My brain feels like it's going to explode too." She never imagined there could be so much information could be fed from the university. "I want to study more but it feels like if I do, whatever I have left of a brain is going to die."

"You're not going to go brain-dead from cramming, but it does have its negative effects." Lindsay took her textbook and set it on the counter away from her. "So we need to do something, whether it's walking around or watching a movie. The Sikes Center has a great theatre."

"Don't want to watch any of the movies that are out right now." She'd been mellow and yet stressed out all week. She wanted to actually talk to her father about something in regards to what Dr. Paddack had been lecturing about, but her fear was he wouldn't answer the phone. "Dr. Paddack was talking about evidence and I have a question that I wanted to talk to Dad about."

"So why don't you call him?"

"I don't want to bother him."

"Just call him and get it over with." Trina shook her head. She listened to the sound of Lindsay's nails clacking on the counter and looked up when the girl stopped. "Then I will."

"What! No!" She reached out to her phone on the table, but Lindsay swiped it before she could get it.

"Too slow." Trina rose up from the table and lunged for Lindsay, grabbing at the phone. Lindsay dodged her and dialed the man, smirking as Trina landed on the carpet. She scowled up at the girl and stood up, dusting off her pants.

"He won't answer." Lindsay held up a finger and bopped her head to the sound of the ringing phone. Her face fell when Lindsay's eyes brightened. How the hell could David answer? He never answered! "Don't tell me he actually picked up the damn phone."

"Hi Mr. Vega? I'm Trina's roommate, she wanted to ask you something." Lindsay handed her the phone and flashed a cold smirk before walking off. Trina muttered her defeat and moved the phone up to her ear.

"Hey Dad."

"Trina, how are you? I haven't heard from you lately."

"I'm fine. Classes are going well. I was just wondering…" She actually forgot the question she wanted to ask him, so now she was searching for something to talk about. She didn't want to hang up because she feared he wouldn't talk to her if she tried calling again. She was scared to bring up her resentment towards him because it only pissed off Holly and Tori, who accused her of being the one to never make contact. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh you know, just the usual paperwork associated with the job. Fifty years old and I never get tired of it."

"I bet. You'll still be working when you're eighty."

"Probably." His laugh startled her. For a moment, happiness flickered in her heart. She was having a real conversation with her father, something that was far too rare. She sat down in her chair and scratched an itch on her neck. "You know, I was thinking about something. You are…so much like your mother. Headstrong and proud, I couldn't be happier that you're out there doing the best you can."

"Well Holly thinks I should be a nurse like her, but can't stand all that medical stuff. Speaking of, are Holly and Tori around?" It always seemed that whatever she told her dad, those two found out. If they didn't like it, they'd chide her for it.

"No, Tori's with her friends and Holly's at work."

"Oh. Okay." In her mind she fantasized about telling him just how she felt. How she was left out and that he just ignored her, treated her like she was the black sheep or that she was plague. She never would, because she didn't trust him not to tell Holly-thereby creating a big fight in which the woman would tell her just how 'wrong' she was and how stupid it was that she would think any of these things when she was to blame.

"Trina, I'm sorry I wasn't able to call you when you got to your university. I had to work a hectic case." Then perhaps he should slow down, not that she would ask him to do his job any less than he already did. "I really hope you had a good week."

"Well, this week wasn't without its fair share of excitements. That's for sure. Are you doing anything interesting?"

"I'm going hiking this weekend, your stepmother doesn't want me to but hey, I haven't gone for a good hike in some time." She smiled at her father and pictured him climbing a big mountain. Her dad always enjoyed doing these things, but it had been some time since he dusted off that mountain bike the garage. "You know, if you were here, you could come along."

"You'd take Holly and Tori." He would, but they weren't hikers. They were nowhere near athletic. Camping was her thing to do with him, they only complained about the weather or about being sore from walking too much. "Remember when we used to collect pinecones, Dad? When I was little." Her lips curved up at the fond memory and her eyes closed over as she listened to him chuckle.

"I still have some of those old cones stashed away. I think I have all the ones we painted." By paint, it meant they'd take a pinecone and dip it into a jar of paint. Sometimes they'd make rainbow colored cones, or cover them in splashes. "It seems so long ago…you've grown into a woman now, I don't think you're as interested in that old stuff anymore."

"Well it's got the nostalgic factor going for it anyway."

"Oh you know what? That one kid, I don't recall his name-Robes or Rodney, something or other-"

"Robbie?"

"Yes him. He doesn't have that puppet anymore." She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head to the right. "Apparently something happened to it on Friday. Tori said someone smashed it up pretty good. Threw it under an oncoming car or something."

"Ouch. Well, I don't think anyone liked that thing anyway. It was creepy."

"Tori said he's in a school play Sikowitz put on. Robbie, Andre, and Beck. They're pretty beat up too. I'm surprised they got parts, they couldn't look much worse for wear. Apparently they were supposed to train to fight."

"Yeah, fighting isn't all it's cracked up to be." She had a bad feeling she knew what happened to them. He wouldn't do that, would he? Lindsay, maybe, but Jason? "Dad. What do you think of Texas?"

"Texas? It's a nice place. Why?"

"I was wondering if I should move down there sometime."

"Well I wouldn't want that." Her heart came to an abrupt halt and her hand moved up to her chest. "It's a great place but so far away."

"But I thought you wanted that."

"Well I say a lot of things, Trina. I'm only serious half the time. I know you don't think it, but I'm not trying to be your enemy here." Lately it seemed like nobody was, leaving her confused and perplexed. She wanted desperately to believe her father when he spoke those words, but how could she when she'd had years of disappointment from him?

"You have funny way of showing it. I'm only saying."

"I know. You are important to me, believe me." She held her breath and closed her eyes. Words weren't going to cut it, it was actions that mattered and his actions didn't reflect his words, so what exactly was she going to believe?

"I'm working on some things." She almost felt bad about cutting him off with the rest of her family, but there were certain things she just had to do, no matter what anyone said. That included Jason as well. "I spoke with Aunt Diane the other day, we had an interesting conversation."

"How's she holding up?"

"She's all right. Had some advice to give me, it seems like everyone gives me advice that doesn't actually improve the situation."

"Some people can only say so much. You hide your feelings a lot, so not everyone knows what to say to you…"

"I don't hide that much." She heard Lindsay laugh and shot a glare at the girl on the couch. Lindsay and Jason both she was angry with, only because they both could catch that. Now apparently her father? What was she, an open book? "Seems like Lindsay and Jason say that too."

No response came and for several seconds, Trina waited. "Okay Lindsay I know, who is Jason?" She scrunched her nose and closed her eyes.

"Some guy…" Same thing she said to Aunt Diane, but maybe her father would be too dense to catch the ambivalence in her tone. "He's no one important."

"He's not done anything bad to you?"

"No. Never." Not to her, anyway. She had a feeling that wasn't the case for the three stooges back home, with what her father just informed her of. "Jason's just some guy, dad."

"He doesn't sound like it."

"Yeah. I have to go. I need to call Jade up."

"All right," he sighed, "Love you."

"Bye dad."

When she hung up the phone, she caught a sideways glance from Lindsay and put her hands to her hips. "Why would you lie to your father?"

"I don't know. Jason-"

"Is far from being 'nobody important', and you know it. Damn you are going to cause that man more damage than a broken heart if you keep that up."

"I don't remember asking your opinion." She dialed Jade's number, focusing on the phone as Lindsay laughed.

"I'm your best friend, I'm going to give my opinion whether you ask or not."

"That's what scares me, sometimes." Lindsay leaned over the arm of the couch and furrowed her brow at her.

"Who are you calling now? Jade?"

"Yeah. Dad said Robbie, Andre and Beck got their asses kicked for some play Mr. Sikowitz was putting up. Not to mention Robbie's puppet's been smashed to bits." Lindsay's face crunched together and she sat upright, curling her fingers over the edge of the arm rest.

"You don't think Jason would do that?"

"Well…given our most recent conversation…And a play about three warriors? Mr. Sikowitz putting it on and having his actors train? There's something that scares me about that."

"Why?"

"Jason did say his uncle and dad are really pushy. I don't want him to get hurt." She put the phone to her ear and waited until Jade answered. When the girl did, she wasted no time asking about everyone's status. "What happened to Beck, Andre and Robbie? Did they get hurt while doing some play for Mr. Sikowitz?"

"No," Jade replied. Trina put her hand to her chest, relieved by the good news. "They got hurt before then." The girl was terse in her statement, which concerned Trina. "Sikowitz wanted his nephew to train three people to fight-at first Jason didn't seem like he wanted to at all until he looked at the boys, then he decided to go for it after telling Sikowitz he wasn't going to be 'doing this' anymore."

"So…Jason beat them?"

"At the very least scared the shit out of them. Destroyed Rex, had them fight each other, had them spar against himself, and trained them 'like his uncle had'. So he pushed them to the limit, they can hardly move. Their arms and legs are sore as hell. Jason seemed really angry with them…"

"Yeah, I'll tell you why."

"Why?"

"I told him about some of the things they did. I didn't think he'd go after them-but if Sikowitz gave the opportunity, then…" She was going to have to have a talk with him. She was horrified that he went after them. A part of her was impressed and partially glad, but on the other hand she was angry about it. He shouldn't have done that, regardless of his connection with her. "I'll talk to him."

"It's not like he did anything wrong. I mean, they kind of deserved it, and he didn't really beat them up per se."

"It doesn't matter. He shouldn't have done that. Even he told me he wasn't going to let his uncle or his dad control him anymore. So, yeah, I'm going to talk to him about it."

"Mind telling me what's going on with you two?"

"Later, Jade…later."

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So the thing with David, well that's all a part of a subplot. Subplot will have a hand in resolving the main plot-but don't be misguided into thinking things will be okay with David. Also now that Trina knows Jason beat the three guys, she's not too happy about it.


	15. Heat of an Argument

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: This chapter does have a lemon in it towards the end. I'll put a notation at the start and end for you. I was going to take it out and put it in a separate related oneshot, but the lemon is so small it's not necessary to move it into a separate oneshot.

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Chapter 15 (The argument)

"Should you be reading ahead?" Michelle asked in passing. Trina was reading about the Compromise of 1877, in which the government held a secret meeting to let Rutherford B Hayes secure presidency. Trina lifted her eyes from the textbook and shrugged.

"I need something to take my mind off other things. Besides, the more I know the better." Michelle stared at her for several seconds, then walked away. Trina returned her gaze towards the book, narrowing her eyes as she whispered the information aloud.

Jason was supposedly back on campus and she called him over to talk, but she hadn't told him what she wanted to discuss. She wanted to read her textbook material to calm down, but it was difficult. _"I probably should have asked Michelle to stick around."_ She was alone now, so she didn't have anyone to calm her down if she did become irrational. At the same time, she didn't want Michelle or Francine to hear what she was upset about.

She closed the textbook and pulled out her phone, she clicked the Skype option and searched for Robbie. She wanted to see how he was holding up without that puppet of his. It probably wasn't the best idea to let him know she had anything to do with Jason, since that could imply she was where he was, and they would know where she was.

"Hello?" Robbie answered. Trina covered her mouth when she saw him, his right eye was purple and he had a split lip. Robbie squinted and leaned forward. "Trina? Is that you? Why are you calling?"

"I just wanted to see what Jade was talking about. Jason did that to you?"

"Not exactly. It was actually Beck, Jason was teaching us how to spar. The guy did kill Rex, though…" Robbie wiped his nose and cleared his throat. "Jade told you?"

"Yeah. Look, I'm sorry that happened." Robbie shrugged and bowed his head. Strangely the boy wasn't even questioning how she knew Jason. She moved her hand to her chest and looked up at the door. It was something she always thought about, beating up those men, but she never would have done it. "Hey Robbie, have Tori buy you a new puppet or something, alright?"

"I'd rather not. Nothing can replace Rex."

"It's just a-you know, never mind." She pulled her phone back and drew out a heavy sigh. "What about Beck and Andre? Did he beat them up too?"

"Pushed them really hard. I mean like pushups, situps, high kicks-back kicks-the whole nine yards. Why? What do you care?"

"I-" She wanted to say she didn't care, but from what she could see Robbie was hurting. "I don't know, I was curious. Why was Sikowitz having him do this? Do you know?"

"For a play he drafted, but I think he was trying to get Jason fighting or something. That's what Jason said it sounded like, a ploy to get him to embrace some sort of thing his uncle and dad wanted him to do." Robbie crossed his arms and reached up with his fingers to push his glasses up. "He was alright I guess. Tori tried to hit on him once."

"Really?" She wasn't so sure Tori would want her stepsister's former boyfriend. Curiosity settled in and she looked up from the phone. "What did Jason do with that?"

"Turned her down rather blatantly. Sikowitz later told Tori to stay away because Jason wasn't to be distracted by women at this point of time."

"Is that right?" Jason wasn't lying about his uncle and dad then, but this blatant attempt at keeping her from him was something that sparked a challenge in her. She was going to get what she wanted, like it or not. Tori's teacher could go fuck a goat for all she cared. Trina flung her hair over her shoulder and smirked when she heard a knock at the door. "I have to go Robbie. Take care of that eye, now…"

"I will. Hey, are you going to call me back or anything?"

"No. I have what I need. Thanks." She hung up and set the phone down. As she stood up, she straightened her shirt and absently tugged on her collar a bit. She walked to the door and pulled it open, taking a deep breath when she saw Jason standing in the doorway.

"You called?"

"Get in here." She grabbed his shirt and yanked him inside, promptly slamming the door behind him. He stumbled for a bit and turned as she twisted around, holding the doorknob and pressing her other hand on the door. "I didn't ask you to attack them!"

"Okay, so that's what's you're upset about."

"No shit." She closed the gap between them and crossed her arms. "I'd expect that from Lindsay, not you!"

"Sikowitz wanted me to pick three people to train for his film. I was angry with them. I wasn't going to do his thing until I saw them, and I lost control."

"Of course you did. Do they even know why you were hard on them? Other than it was something your uncle made you do? Apparently."

"No." She leaned to the right and scowled at him. "I figured you wouldn't want them to know that you and I had history together."

"Oh yeah, sure, and beating them up wouldn't have raised any suspicions."

"I wouldn't have done it if my uncle didn't put the opportunity."

"You shouldn't have done it at all!" She grabbed her head and stared at him with a narrow glare. He wasn't getting defensive, he wasn't on the offense. What was this? Jason was standing perfectly calm with his broad shoulders raised and his arms folded neatly across his chest. She parted her lips, trying to think of something to shout. Instead, she could think of nothing.

Yes, it was wrong of him to attack them, but he did so because of her. Could she be angry at him for defending her? She should be, but it was the first time anyone had ever done that for her.

"You're crazy if you think I'm going to reward you for attacking them."

"I don't expect you to." He lowered his arms and drew out a slow exhale. "I was angry, frustrated, already pissed off with my dad and uncle for what they were suggested. The minute I saw them I remembered what you told me, so that added fire. I went along with my uncle's idea, but that doesn't mean anything."

"It means you're an idiot." He raised an eyebrow as Trina circled him. "You're an idiot because you can control yourself better than that. You don't have to go along with your uncle!"

"I said I wasn't going to until I saw those three."

"That's still no excuse." Trina stopped in front of him and looked down to the cross chain necklace around his neck. The pendant rested neatly in the indent of his shirt. "Why the hell do you wear form fitting shirts?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just curious." She rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes. "Damn Jason, what if they found out you were angry at them because of me? They would have told Tori and Tori would have fucking told Holly where I am-then my entire family would villainize me for coming to Midwestern and not the school they wanted to go to."

"I'm sorry!" He brushed past her, muttering under his breath. "It happened, I handled the situation and it won't happen again." She lifted her eyebrows and growled slowly. Her eyes drifted up and down his back and her arms lowered to her sides.

"You know, they told me what your uncle said." He glanced over his shoulder and Trina moved forward, running her hand along his upper back. "I was a distraction. Or, women in general were. You know, I hate being called that. Whether it's by you, or your goddamn uncle."

"Well, if it's any consolation, I think what my uncle and father think about the woman in my life is none of their business." He faced her and looked directly into her eyes. His hands rested gently on her hips and his thumbs swept between her belt and her skin. Trina's hands flew to his and her face grew red. "You're no distraction of mine."

"No? Here I was hoping." She guided her hip forward, pressing up against his. He cleared his throat as her body melted into him. "Why is it so hard for me to be mad at you?"

"Admit it, there's at least a part of you that still feels something for me."

"Lust, if anything."

"Even if it's just lust…" His hands moved up along her body and he leaned dangerously close. "I couldn't have anyone else. You're the one I want." She moved her arms around his neck and held her breath while tilting her head forward and locking her gaze with his.

"Why do you do this?"

"Try telling me you don't feel it." He pulled away from her and let his hand slide along her abdomen. She straightened herself and closed her eyes as he stepped up behind her. "The tension."

"What good would it do? Besides, I'm still upset with you."

"Really? Over those three idiots? If I could go back, I would. Hell, if I could go back there's so much I'd change." She felt his lips trace her jawline up to her ear where he gently nipped her earlobe with his teeth. Her breath hitched and her hand moved up, cradling his head.

"Maybe you're right, maybe they're not worth getting upset over."

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She pressed her lips together, suppressing a moan as he nipped at the nape of her neck. Each kiss was like a breath of fire touching her skin, bringing her to her knees. "I just think, maybe, you ought to consider consequence…before action."

"You mean like getting me to have sex with you in the gym?"

"Oh, so you couldn't get that out of your mind…" Neither could she. It only intensified her desire to be with him, and the more she was with him the more confused she became.

She leaned her head to the right as he kissed her left collarbone. She didn't want to fight him. Hell, she wanted him to take her right now, but she was trying to erase those feelings.

"Tell me to stop, Trina. Give me the word and I will." His fingers slipped up her arm, leaving a trail of chills behind. She moaned softly, struggling with the thought that Lindsay, Michelle or Francine could come home at any minute.

That was the thrill of it, though. "I don't want you to stop." She took a deep breath and glanced down, shuddering as she watched his fingers slip into her pants.

"Are you sure?"

"Less talk." She bit her lip as his fingers smoothly ran along her clitoris. Fighting down a whimper, she closed her legs, tightening them on Jason's hand. "Oh god." She took a deep breath and turned around as he backed her up against the wall.

His strong gaze paralyzed her, holding her in place. His lips tenderly embraced hers and his hand continued its work between her legs. The sensation struck her like electricity and she moaned into the kiss, gasping as he parted. "What's with the foreplay, Jason…"

"Lovemaking and fucking are two different things. I don't want to be with you just to have sex, I want you to know how I feel about you." She felt his finger enter inside of her and gasped as it curled and scraped along the ridges at the top of her vagina. She clamped her hands on his shoulder and pressed her forehead against his chest, whimpering as he vigorously rubbed her, using his finger to pleasure her inside and his thumb to pleasure her on the outside.

"God!" Her head flew back against the wall as her entire body trembled from the sensation. The instant he removed his hand, she let out a sudden gasp and looked into his eyes, panting heavily as his lips formed a subtle smirk. She immediately reached up, kissing away the smirk and throwing her arms around his neck.

He lifted up her shirt and tossed it to the side, then pulled her over to the couch. No sooner did they land on it did they rush to remove the other's clothing. Jason lay behind her and she pressed herself back against his chest, moaning as he cupped her breasts with his hands and carefully massaged them.

Her hand reached between her legs and grabbed his erect member. Throwing her head back, she guided him to her vagina. "Now, Jason, please." She felt like her body was being subjected to numerous shocks, like a live wire she couldn't take much more.

Trina turned her head to see him smirking at her. In an instant he flipped over her and she let out a quick gasp as her body fell into the couch. He descended upon her, nipping her breasts with his teeth and very sensually moving along her body.

She arched her back as he reached her clitoris and moved her hand to her forehead, moaning softly as he flicked his tongue across her. "Oh god!" Her hand clenched the edge of the couch cushion with such force she was afraid of tearing it apart.

The longer he remained down there, the more sensation shot through her. Her moans intensified and her body continued to arc higher. Her eyes fluttered as she pressed herself forward into the armrest.

He pulled away abruptly and she gasped out just as his head came into view. Her chest heaved as breathless pants escaped her. His hand cupped her cheek and his eyes softened into hers. "You are incredibly beautiful." She held her breath and ran her hands up along his back, hooking them over his shoulders.

The longer she gazed into him, the harder her heart would pound. She couldn't stand the feeling and was scared she would have a heart attack of some sort. "I love you, Trina. I hope you know, I would never do anything to hurt you. Not intentionally."

"I know." She bit her lip and lifted her hips up, grunting as his tip inserted into her. When she lowered, he descended with her. In one swift moment he thrust himself in, causing her entire body to shake. She let out a fierce shout and clenched her eyes shut as he began to slide in and out.

"Oh my god!" She bit his shoulder, stifling a whimper as her hands tightened on his body. He was able to push in deep and hard, which further increased the pleasure he gave her. His hand reached down and she pulled her head back, moaning as his fingers aided in once more rubbing her clitoris. "Shit."

Shuddering, Trina moved one arm around his neck and gazed up into his eyes. His face was strong and his eyes were shielded only by his hair which swayed back and forth in front of them. Each thrust felt like another massive strike, sending tendrils of pleasure coursing through her body.

Without warning, Jason flipped her on top of him and continued to work as his hands held her waist. She pulled her hair back and let her free hand rest on his chest. Her body tightened and her breath hitched as she fought against the urge to release, struggling to make him release before her. Even at camp, she'd never managed this.

"Oh god, Jason I-" She looked down to see his determined gaze holding hers. Her eyes clenched shut and she threw her head back, screaming loudly as her body relaxed and she let herself release onto him.

His lips curved into a smirk as she fell forward onto his chest. Her hair sprawled out over him and she felt him finally release inside. She gently kissed his chest and curled her arm up as he draped one arm around her waist.

She was exhausted all of a sudden, her entire body felt like jelly and she was afraid that if she moved, she would only collapse onto the ground. Perhaps she'd been too quick to let him pleasure her, she didn't get the chance to return the favor.

"Next time, let me go first…"

"We could always go another round later." She quickly looked up to see him smirking handsomely and rubbing the back of her shoulder. A soft moan escaped her lips and she fell back onto his chest.

"Fuck you…How did we go from fighting to this?"

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After they got dressed, Trina stood in front of the couch with Jason at her side. They just flipped the cushions over after rising them with some soap and water. She wasn't about to incur Lindsay's wrath by making her sit down on a dirty seat.

"Trina." She looked over to see him rubbing his neck. "Again, I really am sorry about attacking your sister's friends. I don't know what came over me."

"It's fine." She dismissed the thought with the wave of her hand and walked over to the table. "You know, I really do need to continue studying. The sex was…I don't know how to describe it."

"I can't say I've ever complained."

"I hope not." She raised her eyebrows and moved her hands to her hips. "But anyway." How was she supposed to respond to him now? Everything she felt about him was only intensifying. It was like some sick torture. She wanted him, but if she let herself fall in love with him again, it would mean looking at everything she was doing with a new perspective. Her plans hadn't originally included him.

"Trina?"

"What?"

"I don't want you to think I'm just trying to get into your pants." She shrugged and sat on the edge of the table. "I'm not. Okay?"

"I know you're not. I think I just need some time to think things over." She rolled her head to the side and furrowed her brow. "Besides. If you were just trying to get into my pants. You've already done it. Twice. You would have left by now, for some strange sadistic reason you haven't left me yet."

"Do I have to repeat myself?" The front door swung open and Trina leapt onto her feet as Jason twisted around. Lindsay blinked at them a couple times, her hand on the doorknob and her purse hanging from her left shoulder.

"What…goes on?" Lindsay inquired. Trina's lips formed an oval as she reached up for her hair, realizing that it was still a mess. Her clothes were sloppily put on, and she hadn't taken a shower yet. Not to mention, she and Jason were both covered in sweat.

She held her breath and watched her friend's eyes slowly move from Trina towards Jason, then back again. The woman casually walked inside, scanning the surroundings and eyeing the couch with a keen and fascinated look. "Please," she whispered, "God, I pray they didn't."

Jason slowly inched towards the door while Trina motioned with her hand for him to leave. She backed up towards the bathroom and reached for the door. "Trina?" Trina froze at the door and looked over her shoulder. "Why does my couch smell fragrant? It's like someone tried to spray it with perfume or some sweet smelling scent…is there something you want to tell me?"

"Not really."

"Is the couch clean?" Lindsay's hands trembled as she took a deep breath.

"Yes."

"Do I want to know what you and Jason were doing in here?"

"Fighting."

"Really?"

"Started out that way…"

"Great." Lindsay exhaled and moved her hand to her forehead. "Now go take a shower. I was going to have guests over." Trina moved into the bathroom, hearing Lindsay utter something about needing to possibly burn the couch.

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I will post the next chapter for you


	16. Inner Confrontations

Tender Distractions

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

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Chapter 16 (Inner Confrontation)

"Are you mad at me, Linds?" Trina walked out of the bedroom in fresh, clean clothes and well brushed hair. The apartment was filled with the sound of a steam cleaner going over the couch cushions. When Lindsay didn't respond, Trina pouted her lip and moved forward. "Linds? Okay, for the record he put me on the couch."

"Don't blame him for something you both did," Lindsay growled. "I'm not mad at you. I'd like to strangle Jason, but that can wait." Lindsay paused for a minute and raised an eyebrow. "Oh I just realized. Thank god I was stuck in traffic. To think, I was cursing every driver on the road! I should be thanking them for preventing me from walking in on my best friend being pile-driven by her supposed ex-boyfriend!" Trina flinched at Lindsay's sharp tone.

"Okay you're mad. Here, let me clean the cushions for you." She reached for the steam cleaner but Lindsay smacked away her hand. She pulled back and frowned as Lindsay scratched at her forehead.

"I am not mad, but if you're going to have sex, do it in the bedroom. Now, what were you fighting about?"

"He attacked Beck, Andre, and Robbie, participating in something his uncle made him do. I'm not sure exactly how it led into having sex, but it did." Lindsay bent upwards, sighing as she put her hands to her knees.

"Is this what you meant a week ago when you said you didn't think you could control yourself around him?"

"Probably." She crossed her arms and watched Lindsay return one of the couch cushions. "I just can't explain it. There's something about him-I thought if I had sex with him the first time, it would go away-"

"First time?" Lindsay looked appalled, and slightly horrified. "You mean you two actually did do it that one time?"

"Yes."

"The feeling you have for someone isn't going to go away when you have sex with them. You should know that."

"The craving. I thought I would stop wanting it." Lindsay smacked her forehead and walked past her. "I know it sounds stupid-"

"It is stupid. What more, it's naïve, and I'd expect it from that stepsister of yours." Trina rolled her eyes and took a seat at the table. "I don't mean to yell at you, but seriously, you need to be honest with yourself and with him. If you like him, date him like a normal couple does. If you don't want to be with him, don't be with him!"

"It isn't that simple, Lindsay. I don't know what I want. I don't know if I want to be with him, if I don't. When I'm with him, it's like I'm a different person." Lindsay sat down across from her.

"A better person or not?"

"I don't know. It feels more real, like I'm alive when I'm with him. Not just some idiot trying to please everyone in her life…What scares me is that's the person everyone disapproves of. Nobody likes when I act…like myself."

She looked up as Lindsay reached over and pat her hand over hers. "What are you scared of, Trina? Talk to me for once, okay? What's the problem you have, that you say Jason brings out the real you or something? Hell, even now you're a different person than _I_ remember, so it's obvious you've changed something. Are you just trying to find out who you are or something?"

"I don't know." Trina's head was pounding and her chest ached as memories of her grandfather began to come to mind. "If I speak out of turn it's wrong. If I have an intelligent thought it's wrong. If I don't agree it's wrong. Whatever I say, whatever I do is fucking wrong." She closed her fists and narrowed her eyes angrily. "I'm better off if I just sit still and shut up. People would rather see me crazy, hyperactive-a diva than to see me as a normal free thinking human being. It's easier to hate me than it is to do so when I'm actually myself."

"So what you're saying is it's the diva people pleaser and the strong, compassionate woman?" Lindsay leaned back slowly in her chair and started to smile. "Well. Two things. Which did Jason fall in love with? Then, what was your mom like? Because I remember her, what would she have wanted you to be?"

"Momma would have wanted me to be myself. To be strong, compassionate, fearless…exactly the person that Jason saw and fell in love with at the camp. The person he's been trying to bring out-the one he _has_ brought out."

"Who told you to shut all that away?" Trina's phone went off and she quickly glanced at it. Lindsay peered down at the screen, it was Grandpa George.

"Grandpa…" All her life, it never good enough. Nothing could be good enough for the old man unless it fit his vision, his whim, and his opinion. "He hates me." Instantly Lindsay swiped the phone. This time, Trina didn't react to her trying to contact one of her own relatives.

"Hello, Trina's gramps?" Lindsay tapped her fingers on the table for a second, then quickly swept them into her palm. Trina's brow rose and a small crease line stretched across her forehead. "This is Trina's roommate. She and I are in the middle of a conversation and she is unable to talk right now. Nor will she be able to talk with you in the future. She wants and will have nothing to do with crotchety old buzzards who have nothing better to do in their lives than hound their fucking grandchild!" Trina jerked back as Lindsay hung up the phone and set it down on the table.

"Oh my god…what the hell did you do?"

"Exactly what it looked like." Lindsay leaned forward, hovering over the phone and staring Trina square in the eyes. "There are some relatives, it's okay to leave behind. If it isn't healthy, you don't need them. There are some where it's unhealthy to leave them behind, but all that being said it's best that you figure out what you want out of life and who you're going to be. I don't suggest banging your ex-boyfriend and filling both of your heads with confusion…I suggest actually trying to be a couple. If you want sex, that will come naturally."

"It's too hard to just be a couple. His uncle and dad won't let it happen and I'm pretty certain my family would disapprove." Lindsay scrunched her nose and shook her head.

"Seems like Jason's more than willing to be with you despite knowing his family will clearly disapprove. Learn that you don't need their approval, you only need to do what makes you happy. If it makes you happy to be with Jason, then by all means, go be with him. Don't lead the poor sap on, giving him a hope that there's a chance for you two if there isn't."

"I guess you have a point."

"Honestly I think Jason's been here a year, a part of the club the entire time, and I've never seen him being romantic with anyone. He doesn't seem to be a romantic, but according to you he's a 'hell of a lover'."

"Oh, yeah." She sighed dreamily recalling the recent sex. Lindsay snapped her fingers until Trina returned to the conversation.

"Please don't do that." The phone rang once more and Lindsay growled at the caller. Once again it was Trina's grandfather. She grabbed the phone and answered with a loud voice. "I said she doesn't want to talk to you! I am in no mood! Do not call!" She hung up and pointed the phone at Trina. "First order of business. If you're trying to get away from your family, then you need a new fucking phone number. One where they can't repeatedly hassle you. Then you need a new facebook."

"I don't know if I'm ready to do that."

"You seemed pretty ready when you first came here, what's stopping you?"

"And I was ready. It just…didn't hit me what I was doing until I saw Jason again." Lindsay's face fell and she slowly pushed herself away from the table. "Lindsay?"

"I'm going to give you some time to figure things out, but I'm telling you right now, you need to start thinking. I know it takes time, but in reality you don't have much. You've burned your necessary bridges, now you're here. You've got me, you've got Jason-apparently you've got the asshole wrapped around your finger one way or another, god only knows how, and you've got an education you're working on. Now it's time for you to figure out what you want."

"Career wise I know where I want to be."

"What kind of person do you want to be, though. That's what I'm asking."

"I'll figure it out. I mean, I want to be someone that I can be happy with. Someone that mom would be proud of. Obviously the person I am is the one that clashes with my stepfamily, clashes with my dad, clashes with my grandfather. Only one person has ever paid me any mind when I show myself completely."

"Jason, right?"

"Yeah…" She bowed her head and chuckled softly. "You know how it feels making love to him?" Lindsay stared blankly at her and Trina took a deep breath. "We make love, he looks at me and it's like he's seeing everything."

"Well of course. You're naked."

"That's not what I mean!"

"I know. I know what you mean." Lindsay perched her head onto her hand and shrugged. "He sees you for who you are, basically. That's what being in love does, it enables you to see the person wholly and accept them. Literally seeing into that person's soul."

"I think it's stupid that he loves me. Only because he shouldn't love someone who can't be real." Lindsay rolled her eyes and Trina stood up from the table. She felt somewhat defeated, but at the same time, curious as to how being completely open with Jason would feel. "I don't know if I'm still in love with him or not, I just know it feels right when I'm with him."

"So what's the problem?"

"I told you!"

"No, you told me what you're afraid of. So far I'm not seeing anything you can't work around." What about the relatives? Then again, if Jason loved her enough to ignore his uncle and father for her. She ought to be able to do the same, and yet, her relatives didn't know about him so she was only able to assume they would reject him.

"I'm scared to give him a chance, but I can try. Maybe. I can think of something…"

"And learn to get a handle on those impulses you have, so you're not constantly fighting them. I don't want to see you doubting yourself too much. You're not that type of person, and you know damn well."

She chuckled nervously as Lindsay turned to the couch and slowly looked back. "Also, if you and Jason do decide to hook up for real. If you two have sex. Please. Feel free to _not_ use my couch as your mating ground." A blush rose up to her cheeks and she slowly nodded.

"Y-Yeah I'll remember that if there's a next time…" She rubbed her forehead and glanced back at her textbook. "I think I'm going to do some more studying. I need to get that stuff done."

"All right. Do that. I'm going to call the guests over I've got planned a small celebratory party for my coworkers. You're more than welcome to join."

"Thanks. I'll see how I'm doing as far as homework goes."

"Fair enough."

* * *

Well Lindsay has officially blocked Trina's grandfather from calling the phone. Looks like a much needed talk with some things Trina needed to hear.


	17. The Missing Strength

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 17 (The Missing Strength)

"So what all's going on over there?" Trina was on Skype with Jade, trying to determine the status of Beck and the others as well as some of her own relatives. It had been some time since she heard from them, which wasn't surprising by any means, but she still had her curiosities. "Tori still trying to outshine everybody and be the star?"

"Of course," Jade laughed, "She didn't impress Sikowitz in his latest production though." Trina's lips flattened and she folded her arms on the table, leaning forward as she gazed at the computer screen. "You know, I don't think he actually cared about the play, especially since he had his nephew pick the actors."

"Asshole," Trina scoffed. Jade looked perplexed and moved back some as her eyebrow lifted. "It seems like he was just trying to get Jason to see some sort of plan or whatever that he and Jason's father have for him."

"You're saying Mr. Sikowitz had my boyfriend and his two friends beaten up just to persuade his nephew to follow some sort of fucked up path?"

"When you put it that way…yes." She closed her eyes and bowed her head, sighing heavily as she felt a tightness in her chest. "Jason picked them out because of what I told him. About how Robbie put me in the hospital and Beck restrained me that one day. I think I told you that."

"You did."

"I'm sorry he did that, Jade I did have a talk with him about it, he said he did it because his uncle gave him the opportunity." Jade shook her head and glanced over her shoulder. Trina raised an eyebrow when the girl looked back. "What was that?"

"Mom's dog is in the back yard, chasing a squirrel. The dumb mutt just fell into the pool." Imagining the bulldog flopping into the pool was amusing, but then, she never thought much about that dog. "I swear the dog's as nutty as Cat sometimes."

"Maybe."

"Oh! Speaking of Cat." Trina furrowed her brow and tugged her lip back into her cheek. "She said you two talked? Did you work everything out?"

"There was never anything wrong." Jade's eyes slanted and she shook her head once more, causing Trina some deal of annoyance. "What?"

"You got jealous, and that's understandable. I get jealous all the time. The only difference is I'm actually with Beck, we're an official couple. You and Jason weren't at that time, but you say you two promised to find each other, so it's understandable why you were hurt over Cat essentially dragging him off."

It was also true a part of her was still upset by that, but she had to understand Jason's side of this. Now that she understood more about his uncle, she also had to take into consideration why certain things were done and certain things were said. For instance, upon being asked if he had a girlfriend, he said he wasn't dating anyone.

Partially true, but with Sikowitz standing right there, he couldn't just say he had anybody in mind. Hell, Erwin and Harold Sikowitz knew about her, so had he gone off with Tori instead, it would have raised more red flags.

"So, you never did tell me what's going on with you and him." Jade's lips slowly curved into a sly, intrigued grin as she bat her eyelashes once. "Tell me more." Trina groaned and reached over for her glass of tea.

"We're old lovers."

"And we are past the camp thing. I'm talking about _now_."

"He still loves me." She sipped her drink and looked away from her now gushing friend. "So he says." She set the drink down on the table and stared at the light being reflected off it. Her body relaxed and her shoulders fell.

"There's more to it than that, isn't there?"

Her eyes darted back to the screen and she shrugged. "I guess." It wasn't as if she could deny his words as true. The way he touched her, the way he looked at her both in and out of sex. There was a compassion that never went away, something in his eyes that had been there since the moment they first met years ago. "I want to call him out, to say he's a liar. I wish I could say he only wants me for the sex-" Jade gasped and Trina's eyes darted back to her.

"Back it up!" The girl lifted her palm and smirked. "You two are having sex? Right now?"

"Well not right now…"

Jade scowled and circled her hand in the air, trying speed up the conversation. "You know what I mean, Trina. Are you sexually active?" She was taken aback by the strange phrasing of the question.

"Jesus, when you say it like that-"

"Sorry, that's what's on the questionnaire at my dad's counseling office." She, of course, recognized the question from the many questionnaires she had to fill out when she would go to the counselor's office back in the day. "Have you and Jason had sex since you've been to Midwestern? I know it's a personal question, but still…"

"Yes. Yes we have, alright?" She lowered her eyes and muttered _twice_ under her breath. Jade's eyebrows drifted up and her lips parted at the muttering. "I can't control myself around him, it's like…the minute he touches me, I'm gone. I'll let him do whatever, and it doesn't help that I pretty much throw myself at him." She rolled her eyes and flicked her finger across her arm, growling slightly. "Each time, he says he doesn't want to do anything I don't want to do, tells me he won't take advantage of me, then I tell him I want him to make love. I don't want him to stop…and we just go from there."

"Oh yeah, you've got it bad." Her expression fell flat and her eyes narrowed at Jade. "Look, I can understand the pressure and the tension, Beck and I go through that all the time. Granted, he's a bit pushier than Jason sounds like, but even Beck won't go far if I tell him not to do something."

"The thing of it is, my best friend just called me naïve a couple days ago because I thought by having sex the first time, I'd get rid of the urge."

"Yes, that was fairly naïve."

"I know that now. Things just got worse, more confusing, more…conflicting. I never expected all this to happen when I came here." Trina rubbed the side of her head and closed her eyes. "This wasn't how I planned it. I thought I'd come here, focus on college and get away from my family. To start my own life."

"And you are, but now you've got something else to deal with too."

"It's too much."

"Nonsense. Life always throws curves, right? You just have to know how to deal with them. Or, take the punches and brace for the impact, right?"

"Using fight lingo isn't exactly going to…" Her voice trailed off as she took Jade's wordplay and formed a mental image of it. Somewhere inside, she saw herself standing in an arena, ready for a fight and surrounded by shadows.

She was strong, ready, ferocious and able to deflect everything that came her way. Nothing could get the better of her. Beside her was another depiction of herself. Weaker, shy, and everything that disgusted her.

Something was wrong, however. Every punch that came at that weaker person, every blow and every strike, the brunt of the assaults were being reflected on the stronger identity.

Was she letting them destroy her? She was taking raspy breaths, her movements slowing down and her stance was faltering. She was losing the fight, where was her strength?

"Jade, do you think all this avoidance is really a problem?" She blinked once and tore herself away from the mental image. Her friend scrunched her face and lifted her shoulders.

"What do you mean?"

"Lindsay and Jason keep saying, and they're right, I suppress myself. You know I've always struggled to please my relatives, so I put on a face for them. Someone I think they'd like better. Do you think it's damaging?"

"It's unhealthy, that's for sure. You're only hurting yourself by not being true to yourself. Your family's opinion of you probably shouldn't be what matters. Even mine, or Lindsay's or even Jason's opinion of you shouldn't matter. What does is your opinion of yourself."

"And how do you know all that?"

"I've heard my dad give advice before."

"Got it." She wanted to discuss something other than herself or Jason now, she'd had enough thinking about him. Though even if she were thinking of something else, he'd still be on her mind. "So what else has Tori been up to? Dad and Holly as well? Anything interesting?"

"Not really. We all go over to play poker and it's very quiet at the house. Sometimes Holly talks about how quiet it is." She saw the girl glance off to the side, which stirred up a sense of suspicion in her.

"What are you not saying?" Jade glinted back and her face grew long.

"Well…every time we go over, Holly talks about how you're not there." Trina leaned back slowly and growled. She felt a deep urge to call Holly up right now and speak her mind, fantasizing about the words she'd say. Only, it would lead to a fight, she knew what to expect from her relatives, and in the end she'd be the one to be blamed.

"So it's better that I'm not there? Is that it? What does Dad do? Doesn't say anything, I bet. He never does!" Not once did her father ever stick up for her. Not once did David tell Holly or Tori not to talk about his child in the way they did.

"Unfortunately your dad doesn't seem to be around when she says it. It's usually Tori when he's around. It's a little uncomfortable to hear Tori talk about how much peace there is in the house now that you've moved, so we don't say anything. Your dad just looks so disappointed when he hears her…"

"I'll bet he does." She didn't believe it for a second. Or rather, she wanted to see first-hand that 'disappointment' he had. If she could see it, if she could hear him say one time for them not to talk down about her, she'd give him a chance. "He's only ever a father when it suits him."

"When did you talk to him last?"

"When Lindsay called him and forced me to."

"Oh." Jade pressed her lips together and sighed. "I can't picture being without my dad. That's just me, though. After the divorce last year, things really have changed. For some reason mom didn't take her mutt with her."

"I thought you liked dogs."

"I do, I just don't like that dog."

"Maybe Dad can divorce Holly and she can take Tori with her." Trina chuckled softly and closed her eyes. Even that wouldn't make all the issues she had with her family go away. She couldn't trust them, they'd let her down so many times. Disappointed her too many times.

Her aunts, her uncles, her cousins, she could see them maybe trying. Only, once in a fucking blue moon wasn't enough! 'Too busy' was not a fucking excuse not to talk to someone.

"Lindsay told my gramps off, by the way." Jade's jaw fell and Trina shook her head. "He was calling the other day while she and I were discussing what happened with me and Jason, and she answered the phone."

"What did she say?"

"To put it as nice as possible. She told him to fuck off." Jade cupped her hand over her mouth and Trina choked back a laugh. She admired Lindsay for it, but was kind of scared that now her grandfather was going to play victim and she was going to get a bunch of comments from her family about the whole situation.

Not that it was any of their business. They so enjoyed making her life their business, which was ironic considering they were the least involved people on the planet! Even _Robbie_ had more influence in her life than they did.

"Jason says I shouldn't avoid my family. His uncle and dad apparently are dicks and he still associates with them because they are family."

"Sure, but it's not a decision anyone else can make. I mean, it's up to you what you do. I thought you already made the decision?"

"I did, but seeing Jason again…I just, I'm confused about it now."

"Well give it some time, okay? You'll make it through, I'm sure of it. You know, you helped me out when I needed you, so I know you can make it. Just keep your head up."

"I will try my best."

"I have to go, though. Dad and I are heading out to dinner in twenty minutes and I would like to freshen up a bit." Trina nodded and moved her mouse towards the 'end call' button.

"Alright. I hope you have a good time, Jade."

"Thanks." Jade moved her chair back and looked once more at the camera. "Oh, and Trina?"

"What?"

"Keep fighting. You deserve to be happy with who you are, you don't need to be anyone other than yourself. If someone doesn't like who you are, that's their problem and they don't deserve to be around you. You don't need anybody's approval, and you certainly don't have to change for anyone. Even your own family members."

Her heart lifted up and she started to smile. "Thank you."

"I'll talk to you later."

"Have fun. Bye." She ended the call and closed her eyes. A tear ran out and she quickly swept it away.

Jade was right, but now she was afraid she'd pushed herself down so much that she wouldn't be able to be that person anymore. At the same time, being with Jason was bringing that person out. Maybe he was her strength, or maybe he was the one helping her to find that strength.

It was too difficult for her to make a judgment based on that. She wanted to spend more time with him, to find out more about him. She already knew plenty, but god only knew how much he might have changed in the last two years.

Did she dare to say she loved him? Every time he told her how much he loved her and how much he wanted to be with her, she could feel her heart skipping and her confidence would rise up. With him she was happy, she was herself as she had been years ago. She wouldn't need her family's approval, just as he didn't want the approval of his father or uncle.

"We'll see what happens, then…on down the road."

* * *

Indeed we shall, indeed we shall.


	18. Hotter than Hell 100

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 18 (Hotter than Hell 100)

On the 24th, the Hotter than Hell 100 bike ride came up and Trina pushed a bike lent to her by one of the members in the club up to the starting line. She was more than happy to be a part of this, and was glad to hear that it wasn't completely 100 miles that she had to ride. She could ride the fifty mile, the twenty five mile, and there were plenty of rest stops along each route.

As she sat at the starting line, she thought about how much her father would love to enter into this bike race. It was something she felt she could do with him if he ever managed to get around to spending some time with her.

"Which route are you doing?" She heard Jason pulling up behind her and looked over with half a smile. He was on a fancy looking black mountain bike with curved handlebars. "Not the one hundred mile route, I hope."

"What? Think I can't handle it?" She puffed her chest out proudly and Jason shook his head.

"Not that you can't handle it, it's just hectic. Especially if you haven't been riding in a while. You're going out of Wichita county and into Clay County, through the towns of Charlie, Burkburnett, and Electra. Those trail's also for more experienced riders."

"How do you know so much about it?" Jason's eyebrows meshed together and his shoulders lifted. This was something people all over the country came to participate in, so it was likely he knew about it from wherever he'd heard it from.

"Because I've done the hundred mile track. Granted, I never finished it." Her jaw dropped as he looked off to the distance. A hum drifted from his lips as the bulge in his throat lowered and rose with a swallow. "I made it three quarters of the way there but since it was so hot I started getting heat stroke."

"Oh god. Well, at least you're all right."

"I'm going to try it again." Trina's heart skipped and she felt a brief worry that he might get heat stroke again. She still wanted to try the hundred mile track, but at least she was going to make use of rest stops.

"How often did you stop? How much water did you drink?"

"Not enough apparently. I got a little too confident in myself. Pushed too hard and too fast."

"Jesus, sounds like Sikowitz got to you or something."

"Well, I can't say dad's influence wasn't felt. He was watching that time." She looked towards Jason's hands and saw them tighten around the handlebars. His jaw locked as the breeze swept his hair away from his stern gaze. "He did say when I had to get out before finishing that I was pathetic for losing."

She rolled her eyes and slowly reached over, setting her hand over his. His body relaxed as his eyes drifted down to her hand. "You did your best, Jason. Don't overdo it if you can't make it."

"I'll make it this year." He swept his thumb out from beneath her palm and curled it over the top of her hand. She met his gaze and felt a sudden shift inside her when he smiled.

"Well. Knowing you, I'd better not hear about someone having a heat stroke and dying out there."

"Not many people _die_, Trina. Only if they don't have enough sense to stop at the rest stops and take a break as well as drinking water." She gave him a skeptical look and he rolled his eyes. "I'm a little more careful than I was then. Sheesh. How about you be careful out there, huh?" He narrowed his eyes and she faltered for a moment.

"You really don't want me to do the hundred mile?"

"When was the last time you rode a bike on rough trails? Also, how often have you done it?"

"It's been a while…"

"Then no. I'd rather you be safer and do the twenty five or fifty."

"Still not happening, though." She didn't want to miss out on opportunity, and if he was going on the hundred track, so was she. It wasn't about outdoing him or competition, she felt a genuine worry and wanted to be with him in case something happened to him. She glanced sternly into his eyes and after a few seconds he sighed and shrugged.

"All right. Just be careful. You don't have to go fast, it's not so much an actual race as it is a ride. Stop at the stops, even the mechanical stops, and drink a lot of water. All that matters is that you finish. So, I'd better see you cross…"

"I'll say the same thing to you."

"Oh I'll cross." She looked away, chuckling under her breath. Her hand pulled back towards her handlebar and she studied the road in front of her with a new sense of nervousness.

She felt Jason lean over to her and his lips touched the corner of hers, dousing the nerves growing inside her. She looked over to him and grinned when he leaned back on his bike. "Do your best, Trina."

"You're not worried someone would see that? Your dad, maybe?"

"He's not here this year, and even if he was I don't give a shit what he thinks. Stay safe, Tri." The horn sounded and Jason kicked forward, startling her. She watched him disappear over the horizon, paralyzed. After a few seconds, she heard someone call out and ask what she was doing.

She snapped her attention back and leaned forward, pressing down hard on her pedals. Fortunately the air wasn't as hot as most years, it was just a cool breeze that was hitting her face and blowing through her hair.

Kicking it into high gear, Trina slipped her tongue partially out the corner of her lips and sped ahead until she saw Jason's head poke up from behind a hill. By the time she caught up with him, he looked over his shoulder with a sense of surprise. "What part of 'you don't have to go fast' didn't you get?" He called out. "Don't use up all your stamina in the initial run, you'll wear yourself out!"

"So I don't want to lose sight of you." She stopped herself, shocked at what just came out of her mouth. He smirked at her and faced the front.

"Don't you worry, babe, I won't be too far away."

"What did you just call me?"

"You heard me." She hit the brakes on her bike and growled as he raced ahead.

"Asshole!" He did it to get under her skin, that was the only reason. Maybe even to slow her down, but he wasn't getting the best of her. She would do this race wisely. "When I get my hands on you. Jason Tyler Sikowitz…I swear to god I'm going to make you regret being born."

Trina started back up, propelling herself ahead. After riding for several miles she came to the first rest stop where the twenty-five mile ride ended, Trina was already exhausted. She pulled up, drenched in a heavy sweat and had already emptied the camelback she had with her.

She removed her helmet as someone helped refill the camelback with fresh water. As she checked her pulse, her eyes scanned the stops for Jason. When he wasn't there, her heart began to race. "Oh god, tell me he stopped here!" She rushed over to the person at the front with the clipboard. "Ma'am, I'm looking for my friend, did he stop here?"

The woman looked down at her clipboard, bouncing her pen off it. "Name?" She spoke rapidly, still trying to catch her breath. The paranoia didn't do her any wonders.

"Jason Sikowitz, or Jason Tyler. I'm not sure what name he used upon entrance."

"Jason Tyler. Yes, he stopped about fifteen minutes ago and left five minutes ago." Relief flooded over her and she took a deep breath while grabbing for a towel.

"Okay, thank you."

"Will you be continuing on the next leg?"

"Yes, but I need a couple of minutes."

"Take as long as you need, miss." She walked over to a nearby bench and sat down. She perched her elbows on her knees and moved her hands to her forehead. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute, her eyes were dilated, and her body was drenched in sweat.

She knew the key thing to look out for was if she stopped sweating. If that happened, she needed to get help fast.

She grabbed her phone while resting and sent Jason a text message reminding him to be careful and call her when he made it to the finish, as well if something went wrong. The place was covered in emergency assistance carts and vehicles along the way, so he could take advantage of those if need be.

After her body relaxed, she returned to her bike and left her departure time with the woman before venturing off to the next stop. Her mind was primarily on her own safety until the next stop, where she sent another text out to Jason when she didn't hear from him or see him.

Eventually she reached the end of the line, exhausted and beaten by the trek. He'd been right when he said the hundred mile was the most dangerous and treacherous. There were a lot of curves, a lot of rocky trails and areas where she was afraid she'd ragdoll off the side of a cliff!

At the end she was greeted by racers that had already finished as well as family and friends that were waiting for them, even the staff. Of course, paramedics had to check each racer just to be sure they were okay. After they finished with her, she went to check with the guy holding that was checking out all who ended.

There were a total of four hundred racers, and about one hundred or so of them went on the one hundred mile trek. "Hey." She swept her hair and sweat from her brow. "Jason Tyler. Did he come in yet?"

"Let me check," the man replied, "There are still a few racers that haven't come in." She was amazed to hear that she'd got in before several, especially with how slow she took the last fifty miles. If Jason hadn't come in yet, she was going to debate going after him. He was a better rider than her, she had to acknowledge that because she honestly hadn't ridden a bike since she was sixteen or seventeen years old. Once she got a car, and her dad didn't take her out riding much, she didn't get on bikes anymore.

"Well?" Her patience was wearing thin as the man flipped through the pages, scratching his head. "Tyler. Jason Tyler. Hell, Jason Sikowitz even! Did he come through yet? He had a heatstroke last year, so I just want to make sure he finished."

"I don't see him as having checked in, so he is probably still riding."

"You're kidding…" She looked up nervously and pulled out her phone. He hadn't texted her back yet either. Her heartbeat was rising once more and the cold fingers of anxiety began to choke her as she imagined him lying somewhere out there on his back with the sun bearing down on him. "No, he should have come in!"

"Some riders are slower than others, ma'am."

"No, you don't understand. He's a better rider, he was ahead of me. He even got to all the rest stops before me, he should have finished first."

"All riders check in with me first thing. If he's not on this list, he hasn't come in yet." She looked back to the finish line with a heavy heart. She knew he'd be okay out there, he said he would be and that he'd be careful. "Would you like me to send out an emergency team just to be safe?"

"No, I…if he said he'd finish, then he'll finish."

"I'll have them keep an eye out for him just in case." The man walked off and Trina slowly shook her head. What was wrong with her? Why was she getting so worked up?

"Screw it. I'll distract myself…" She went onto her phone and pulled up Facebook. There was a recent status message from Tori that stopped her in her tracks.

_"Still waiting to hear from Dad. He's over in that race somewhere in Texas, should be finishing soon…"_

"What?" She lifted her eyes up to the man who was returning to his post and the tension in her chest slowly returned. "Sir! Check for David Vega too. Is he even in this race?" What the hell was her father doing here? She couldn't put it past him to do this race, but at the same time, she wasn't sure how she'd react if he saw her there.

Sure she could explain it off as traveling down here to be in the race, but other than that, she didn't want him injuring himself out there either. He wasn't as in shape as he used to be. Though, she wasn't quite as worried about him.

"There is an entrant with that name, but no he has not arrived either."

"Great…Let me guess, the hundred mile trek as well?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Go dad," she remarked flatly.

* * *

So they haven't come in yet. I know my own dad loves this bike race, gets involved every bloody year, haha.


	19. To Lose Someone

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: Due to both the last chapter and this one being written together and split in two, I'm going to give you both.

* * *

Chapter 19 (To Lose Someone)

After what felt like an eternity of worrying, they finally announced a few of the final riders coming in. Trina shot up from the bench she was waiting at with Lindsay and hurried over to the final line to see two people walking in the distance. She squinted and shaded her eyes from the sun for a better view.

It was Jason, and her father, walking with one bike. Jason had David's arm around his shoulders and was letting the man use his bike to stay upright. The paramedics rushed for them and Trina remained frozen with a fear that was slowly turning to relief.

She was confused how they wound up together, but it didn't matter much to her. "Jason!" Jason looked up as the paramedics led David over to a stretcher. Trina ran for him and threw her arms around his neck, startling the man. "Why the hell didn't you call me back?"

"You called?" He looked towards the side pack on his bike and reached into it, slowly removing his phone. When she saw that it wasn't even on, her concerned turned into anger. "Damn, I must have forgot to charge my phone last night."

"Idiot. You are an idiot. You probably forgot it was even in the pack!"

"Yeah I did, actually." Jason looked over to David with a subtle frown and pointed towards the man. "Ran into him after the last stop." Trina turned towards her father.

He wasn't sweating as profusely as Jason was, his skin was pale and the paramedics were covering him in wet towels while giving him water. Her hand moved up to her chest as she watched him struggle to breathe. "Oh my god…what happened?" He was covered in dirt and pebbles, just as Jason was, and the fact that his bike was gone implied it was lost somewhere on the trail.

"I saw him riding ahead of me, he wasn't looking too good and went off the trail, so I followed him. Ended up falling down an incline, fell off his bike and rolled down a hill while the bike continued into a lake." Her hands flew over her mouth and she immediately rushed to her father's side, grateful Jason had gotten to him in time.

"Dad. Dad!" She shook his arm until he looked her way. His lips curled up into a smile and his hand lifted up and his fingers slowly ran through her hair.

"Trina…"

"What were you doing? Why didn't you call me and tell me you were riding in this thing?" Now was no time to accuse him of not paying any mind to her, but she was angry that he could have gotten himself killed. "If Jason hadn't come along…"

"That's Jason? The guy you were talking about?"

Jason stepped beside her and whispered to her with a subtle smirk, "So you told your dad about me?"

"Not now, Jason!"

"Sorry." Jason knelt beside David and pat the man's shoulder. "Hey, sir, you're going to be just fine now. We're at the end."

"I don't know what happened." David leaned upright and moved his hand to his shoulder. Trina looked him over, checking his body for bruises and cuts. "I just started getting this intense pain in my left arm and chest. Couldn't breathe for a while."

"Wh-"

"Shit," Jason looked towards the paramedic and snapped his fingers, "You might want to make sure this guy didn't have a heart attack." Trina's eyes widened as David dismissed them with a wave and tried to stand up.

"I'm fine!"

"All due respect, you need to sit down Mr. Vega."

"I said I'm fine. I'm in the best damn shape of my life." Trina took a slow step back as the paramedics pulled her father back down and carried him off. "Damn it!"

"Dad?"

"You probably ought to go with him." She agreed and rushed in with the paramedics. Her father was still trying to fight them. She moved beside him and put her hand over his, causing him to relax and look her way.

"Trina, what are you doing here?"

"I decided to visit from college. I wanted to enter the race. Tori and Holly didn't come?"

"No. Tori has school and Holly's got other things to work on." David flinched and Trina glanced over to see one of the paramedics removing a needle from his arm. Her father narrowed his eyes and shot a dangerous glare at the man. "Get the hell away from me, I said."

"Dad, relax, they're trying to help you."

"Annoying me is more like it." David put his arm down after attempting to scare off the paramedic with a threat of smacking him across the head. He took a deep breath and glanced at the pack on Trina's back. "So you were riding too?"

"Yeah. I wanted to participate."

"How are classes?"

"They're going well."

"Good. As long as you're doing good in your classes." He pointed at Jason, who was watching from the doorway. "That's a good man back there, pulled me up off the ground. If he hadn't come by, I don't think anyone would have found me for a while." Tears sprouted at the corner of her eyes and she immediately reached around him, holding him tight.

"I'm glad you're okay, Dad…"

"Ah it'll take more than a stinking bike ride to take me out." He pat her on the back and looked down at her with a wide smile.

"You just said no one would have found you if Jason hadn't. You could have died."

"No, I would have crawled my way out. I've been in tougher scrapes than that."

"You had a heart attack!"

"Probably brought on by heat exhaustion. I'm okay Trina, don't you worry about me."

"Well normally I don't. You're fucking invincible, you know? You're supposed to still be in shape when you hit eighty." David laughed and squeezed her a bit more.

"Oh trust me, I will be. Besides, you seem okay without me." His face sank for a second. Trina flicked her eyes towards Jason frowning at the two. She pressed her lips tight together and slid back, placing her hands on his shoulders and looking into his eyes. "Like I said, don't you worry about me."

"It only seems that way because I never hear from you. Anything I say you tell Holly and Tori, then they get mad at me. You think I want to deal with that?" He frowned at her and closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "I need to hear from you more often than I do…Conversation for another time though, I'm glad you're alright."

"It is good to see you. I suppose you'll be flying back soon."

"We'll separate at the airport." She stood up and wiped her eyes. "I'll let the paramedics finish up with you. I need to step out for a minute."

"All right, sweetheart. I'll…try and call you more often. I just get busy and I don't have time to call. I know that's no excuse for a father to his daughter, but it's the truth. I think about you, and sometimes I want to call you and maybe Holly tells me you might be busy on homework or some other details so I leave it alone."

"Oh. Well…" She shrugged and looked up to Jason. "I'll talk to you later, Dad. Okay?"

"Okay."

She walked towards Jason and slowly pushed him outside. She didn't want her father to see them. "How is he holding up?" Jason asked. "How are you holding up?"

"I didn't even know he was in the race until I looked on Facebook." She clenched her fists and slowly shook her head. "Tori said something about it in a status message."

"I'm sorry, Trina. I didn't know either."

"It's okay. I was worried when I finished and you hadn't." She reached up and set her hands on his shoulders. Her eyes moved into his and her lip turned up into a sad smile. "Thank you…"

"Hey, you would have done the same thing if you saw someone falling off the trail." She moved closer to him, sliding her arms further around his neck and moving her head onto his chest. He moved his arms around her and brought his right hand up to sweep her bangs from her eyes with his thumb. "Hey, everything's okay now."

"I talk a lot about how I don't like my dad, my relatives, but I'll be honest. I don't want any of them to die-even my grandpa. He's probably the last person I would say that about, but still."

"I know, Trina. It's easy to say you want something to happen to someone even if they're in your family, but for something to actually happen…hard thing to stomach. Why do you think I still associate with my dad and uncle?"

She rolled her head upright, keeping her chin connected to his chest as her eyes drifted up into his eyes. "Because they force you to?" He chuckled softly and tightened his hold on her. He gazed down into her eyes and she was surprised to see the warmth in his expression. Yet, it was no different than how he always looked at her. She was more open to it now, but what was hard was the fact that she felt vulnerable. "I'm sorry. I know you don't get along with them, I shouldn't say stuff."

"No you're right. A part of it is them forcing me to. I'm in control most times, but you know how it is with people that know how to manipulate you. Relatives are the biggest offenders for that. Sometimes I don't think they try, but they can get misinterpreted a lot."

She almost lost her father, or maybe it wasn't as bad as she was making it out to be in her mind. "You said earlier if I told Dad about you, I didn't really tell him much. He doesn't know like…what we've done or anything. He just knows you're a friend."

"I'd like to think I'm more than a friend. Though, I'd also like to think I'm more than-no, not appropriate right now."

"What? Friends with Benefits?" She smirked casually at him and he heaved a heavy sigh.

"Yes, that." So he wanted more. He wanted it all, from what she had clearly seen, but she hadn't been ready and still wasn't. "It doesn't matter, Trina. I'm here for you."

"I know." She leaned up and kissed his lips while tightening her arms around his neck. When she pulled back, she gazed into his strong, loving eyes and sighed. "I'm a wreck."

"No you're not. You have stuff like everyone else does. Don't put yourself down so much."

"Just, thanks for saving my dad."

"Almost didn't recognize him at first."

"Doesn't matter. Take the gratitude."

"I will." He kissed the top of her head and looked back at the door. She wanted to savor this moment with him, since she had a feeling once she calmed down everything was going to go back to normal.

And judging by the way he was holding her, he didn't want to let her go. Maybe he was afraid of the same thing. Inside, she was cursing herself for her crazy fears and wanted to let herself out of whatever shell she was in, but it was too raw for that. Or so she thought.

* * *

Yeah not on good terms still with the pops, but it seems _maybe_ Jason and Trina are making headway. Then again, maybe not. Shan't be much longer though, he's got an idea how to get through to her.


	20. Jason's Challenge

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 20 (Jason's Challenge)

Over the next few days, Trina had been eyeing Facebook, particularly Tori's statuses. There was no mention of what happened to their dad at the race, but that was understandable if Tori didn't want to post about it. She tried to get in touch with her, but anytime she sent a message, the woman wouldn't respond. If she did, it was only a vague statement like 'yes, we're fine', then nothing.

Her dad did call her twice in the last week, but she then hadn't heard from him for four days. So he was falling into the same old routine, it seemed. Another disappointment, especially since she thought they had a moment together. She was starting to think she'd never have a relationship with her dad again.

"Trina, it's time to go!" Lindsay called from the living room. She leaned back and glanced at the clock, they needed to be at the club meeting relatively soon. Once again they had to be at the coliseum, though the sun was shining outside and the weather was nice, one of the newer members had to complain about being outside. Jason complied despite a preference for the outdoors, but mainly because the new member was the treasurer's sister.

Maybe she should have complained. To her dismay and annoyance, the entire club seemed to think there was something going on between her and Jason, so they treated her like she was the goddamn first lady!

"Great, more time with the club that thinks I'm banging the club president." She walked out of the room and Lindsay raised an eyebrow.

"They're not wrong."

"I know. I just don't like admitting to it." Since when was her life their business? Everyone gossiped these days. "It's not like we're a couple."

"You are, you just don't do things real couples do. Besides having sex and making out."

"And that would not make us a couple."

"Well. How many times has he told you he loves you."

"Words."

"Not meaningless."

"Seems to me everything everyone tells me falls flat. Just look at my dad, I thought we were going to start something."

"Rebuilding a relationship takes time, Trina. You of all people ought to know that." Lindsay ushered her out the door and locked it behind them. "So maybe you'll never have a perfect relationship with your father, if you two can work your way to talking, you'll have something to talking, you'll have something. You also have to want to fix it."

"I'm not sure if I do want to." Honestly she tried so many times it was exhausting now. Her mind was fixated on the possibility that even if she tried again it was going to end up a big disappointment. "Every time I try to have a relationship with him, or any of my cousins, or any of my other relatives, something goes wrong. I can't even try my grandfather because I can't be in the same room without expecting him to blow up or get aggressive."

"No one said you have to have anything to do with your grandfather, Trina. Elderly people are set in their ways, they're not going to change what they believe. If it's unhealthy, burn that bridge and don't look back."

As they walked, she could feel Lindsay studying her with her eyes. She turned her head over her shoulder and shrugged at the concept of talking to her grandfather. "Kind of scared to." Lindsay eyed her peculiarly, then extended her hand.

"Let me see your phone."

She pulled her phone from her pocket, giving her friend a suspicious look. "Why?"

"Just do it." She watched Lindsay press the menu buttons on her phone, then heard a confirmation beep. Her heart stopped and her jaw fell open as Lindsay handed the phone back to her. "Problem solved."

"What did you-" The screen displayed the words 'contact blocked' and her heart sank into a pit of fear. "You know that's going to make him mad. If I never answer or-"

"Not. Your. Problem." Her eyebrows fused together as Lindsay put her hands to her shoulder and glared sternly into her eyes. "Your grandfather is a sick old man who treats you like shit, puts himself as the victim and thinks it's okay to abuse family. You don't have to deal with that, his mental problems are not yours. You can walk away from that."

"I…"

"Now come on, everyone's waiting on us."

"Okay."

Once at the club, she saw a makeshift stage. Jason was standing on it with his arms crossed and legs spread. His GI was hanging loosely that it revealed his chest and was tied tight around the waist. Studying his chest, she felt a sudden chill and turned away, trying to ignore her lust. "So what's going on?"

"Just a little test of endurance." Jason stepped off the stage, eyeing Trina carefully. "I want to see how far everyone can push themselves with someone coming after them one by one."

"You're not serious." She raised an eyebrow and looked at the sparring club members. "Are there any members you have in mind?"

"Oh yes." His mouth curved slyly and his eyelids fell halfway. Trina did a double take and opened her mouth to speak. He cut her off almost immediately. "I just want to see how in shape you really are. Our tournament the other week was ended unfairly and abruptly."

"Dickhead." Trina crossed her arms and glared at him, letting her eyes run down his muscular body for a minute before glancing back to his smug face.

"Come on, I just want to get you fired up. Back at camp you wouldn't be able to resist this challenge." The counselors at camp had done this exact thing. They would choose at random a person to spar ten consecutive people. She loved it then, and even now there was a deep desire to do this.

"Fine. I'll take you up on your little 'challenge'."

"I knew you would."

"Fuck you."

"Can that be a prize for your winning?" She narrowed her eyes and stepped up to the stage.

"You're lucky I'm not in the best of moods!"

"Great! Sparring is a great way to relieve some of that tension!" She watched Lindsay step up beside him, shaking her head.

"Why do you get her so riled up?" Jason glanced at her and shrugged.

"She's cute when she's all fussy and flustered."

"Deadly too."

"Oh believe me, I know…"

Trina reached back and pulled her hair into ponytail, grumbling as she stared at the club members watching her. This was her stage, her arena, and for once her stepsister couldn't take the spotlight. So, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Jason wanted to see her get riled up? She could get catty. While shooting him a side glare, she tucked her lip into a smirk of her own and called him out. "Hey Jason, I'm starting to see a little bit of your uncle in you!"

"What?" His face paled and Lindsay covered her mouth, laughing.

"That's right! What are you going to do about it?" She pushed her left leg back and moved her right foot forward, bending the leg at a right angle. She locked her hands at her waist and pushed her right wrist forward, letting out a loud shout as her fingers dug into her palm. "I can take you right now!"

"So can I!" He called out in return. "But I'm not going to."

"Shut up!"

"Not a chance!" She was getting more agitated by the second. So when the first person stepped up, she made quick work of them.

He was a scrawny white belt with little experience, and Trina was upon him like a bolt of lightning. She grabbed the poor kid by the shoulders, flung him to the ground, and pounced on top of him. Her knees straddled her waist and her fist flew out, stopping just above his neck. Jason's eyebrows rose as Trina's gaze never faltered from his.

"I'm working right up to you, Jason. Mark my words, I'm not done with you!"

"There's the woman I know and love," he replied under his breath. Lindsay looked over at him and crossed her arms.

"You aren't worried she'll rip your head off-or with your present relationship status, the other head?" She coughed into her hand and Jason shrugged.

"She wouldn't. This is just banter for us. She gets all fired up, we challenge one another, and bring the best out of the other person. At least, that's what she's always done for me."

Jason hollered out as Trina dispatched another, then one after him. "Keep it up Trina! Maybe eventually I'll step up to the plate with you!"

"You'll get your ass up here now so I can kick it, and you'll like it!"

"I'm no masochist."

"I'm beginning to question that," Lindsay muttered. "Have the two of you ever determined who is the better fighter?"

"She is. On a good day. It's pretty even, to be honest." He tilted his head to the right, admiring Trina as she moved around the stage with stunning grace and precision. He pressed his lips together and let his shoulders fall. "God she's beautiful."

"Wish we saw this side of her more. I mean, this is who she is…it's a shame she doesn't see it."

"She's no fighter, but she's got a fighter's spirit. That's the thing I saw in her at camp-what I loved about her then and what I love about her now. She seems more broken now, all I can do is be there for her…maybe remind her she doesn't have to hide behind a mask anymore."

"Give her time, Jason. She'll come around."

Trina let out a violent shout as she pressed her forearm against the throat of the next fighter. That person took a step back, waving her hands in the air and carefully leaving the stage. "Jason! I want you! Now!"

"And there's the words I was hoping to hear. I'd be more than happy to oblige, Katrina." She roared out and spun towards him, her ponytail swung past her face, causing her eyes to shimmer as the light reflected through the strands of her hair. Jason's expression softened and his lips curved into a gentle smile as he studied her gaze.

"Not like that! I want you on this stage so I can kick your ass right here, in front of the entire club."

"You're saying you want a challenge? I know half the people here can challenge you just fine. Try the other black belts, they're your level." She was growing tired of him now. Of course she knew the others were a challenge, and her body was beginning to tire, but she didn't want to spar with anyone else.

"Jason." She took a dangerous step forward, her nostrils flared and her fists clenched. "I want you on this stage right now. We have a rematch to settle, by your own account." Her voice began a slow, steady rise while Jason continued to gaze at her. "You're not going to cheat me out of kicking your arrogant ass by tiring me out!"

"If you say so." She took a deep breath and held it as he slowly walked up onto the stage. He tore off his upper jacket and tossed it to his feet. She kept her gaze locked onto his and watched as he bent slightly on his knees and pulled up his hands. He held his hands with his palms facing each other, thumb tucked over the inside of his palm, and his fingers outstretched. "All right Trina. Show me what you got."

* * *

Another split chapter so I'll give you the fight. I feel bad for leaving you hanging like this. Not to mention I'm moving back into the campus apartments pretty soon here, so updates are about to start slowing. I'd like to get what I can for you. Hope you liked this chapter, it opens a nice view.


	21. The 'Beauty'

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 21 (The Beauty)

"No cheap tricks." Trina clenched her fists while Jason remained calm. He nodded slowly, his face stern yet compassionate. She wasn't going to lose this by way of a fluke.

"I promise. No cheap tricks."

She flicked her finger from her palm and growled at him. "Because if you try anything funny, I'm going to have Lindsay kick your ass." He cracked his neck to the right and rolled his shoulders twice. Lindsay whistled and glanced off to the side.

"Nah. If anyone's going to kick my ass, I'd rather it be you. I promise, it won't happen." He had power in his moves, as well as endurance. She didn't. She was faster and more precise, however.

They knew each other's weaknesses. He could endure her strikes so she would have to be fast. "So fast versus slow, power versus precision. Who's going to win this?"

"What are you suggesting? A real fight? This is just sparring."

"And if you go easy on me…I will cut off your head." She smirked at what Lindsay suggested and Jason simply laughed. The onlookers murmured at the blow, but Trina was more surprised to see him unfazed by this remark.

"When have I _ever_ gone easy on you?"

"First day of camp?" On the first day of camp he was truly a pompous son of a bitch. He thought he was great, and certainly didn't think a woman could equal him until she got him to put his money where his mouth was.

His lips flattened and his eyebrows fell into a straight line above his heavy gaze. "Fluke." The club surrounded the stage as Jason moved his hand through his hair. "You cheated that match." She didn't cheat, she just beat the 'fightin' machine', the'warrior', the _Beast._

"Nonsense. Are you still sore over that? You're a guy, I'm a woman. Simple as that." She saw Lindsay pale while some of the club members laughed as Jason's face grew incredibly red. "I just let my precision do the rest."

"And yet that trick only worked once." That was far from the truth. She'd managed to get him many times after that.

"Oh did it?" During their first match, she was bold enough to slide her hand into her uniform and flash her breast at him when no one else was looking. He was red as a tomato and was completely thrown off guard by the move. That way she was able to perform a smooth low kick that connected to his heel and floored him. "Look at what happened after that, and where we're at now. Even the members of the club seem to think there's something to us."

"And there isn't?"

"Well it isn't anyone's business. Not even my family's business."

"Good to hear you say that, actually. Shows you have some guts."

"I never stopped having guts!" She rushed for him, forgetting that this was how he got the better of her last time. He side stepped and smacked the back of his hand against her upper back. She bolted upright and growled.

"Don't charge, Trina." There he was again, acting cocky as hell. He thought he could beat her, he seriously believed he'd win!

"Oh shut up."

Lindsay tapped her foot on the floor and bowed her head, moving her hand to her forehead. "Should I start taking bets on whether or not you two end up making out up there….now or later?" She ignored her friend, but the comment did spark an inspiration of thought. Perhaps she could use gender to get him again.

"Hey Jason." She flashed a smirk and slowly walked towards him, to her surprise he remained in his stance. She leaned forward, whispering in his ear. "How often do you think about me naked?" He closed his eyes and curled his lip into a smirk.

"I've already seen that, Trina. I'm immune." He moved his hand downwards, lightly tapping her stomach with his knuckles. She took a step back and growled. It was a fun experiment to see if she really could psych him out, but immature she had to admit.

"I had a feeling it wouldn't work on you." She leaned back and kicked towards his right leg, but Jason jumped in the air and spread his legs outwards. He rushed forward and pulled his elbow back, connecting with her lower back.

"Too bad I know it works on you."

"Oh it does not. Besides, I'm no exhibitionist, Jason." She lowered her voice to a whisper and wagged her eyebrows. "There are people watching." She spun around and stood face to face with him. "Maybe my stepsister might be one to perform like that. She's always willing to try new things."

"Too bad your sister's not the pretty one." She blushed and quickly shook her head as Jason leaned over to her, whispering in her ear. "You're the bombshell in that family." As her back was turned, she felt a sudden movement brushing up her spine, his forefingers. Her body shivered and she let her head fall back, groaning in irritation as the sensation shot through her.

In retaliation she swirled around and attempted a right hook, but he'd ducked beneath her arm's path and moved his arms around her waist. She let out a shout as he floored her, then moved above her. He locked her wrists together with his hand and held them over her head and leaned downwards, holding his right arm just above her neck-a sign that she'd just lost the match.

Her throat locked as she looked up into his eyes, gasping for air. "Didn't I tell you. If you used cheap tricks…"

"What cheap trick?" His smirk increased and she moved her hands to his chest, growling in an attempt to push him off. "It's perfectly acceptable to hit your opponent at that point in the back. You remember, it's an actual strike point."

"So what!"

"Just because it happens to be one of your sweet spots doesn't make it illegal."

"Screw you." He was right in that the move was perfectly legal. Her issue was anybody touching there could tickle her, and in Jason's case, he _knew_ it was a particular spot that would affect her in a more sensual way. "Nobody else knows that."

"Exactly." He lowered his face beside hers and whispered. "That's why it's fun to spar your lover. They know more about you and your body than anyone else, making it an intriguing fight." He pushed himself up and her arm flew over her body, landing on the floor beside her as she glared up at him.

Since the move was fair and nobody knew about that particular part of her body, she couldn't exactly call him out. He didn't cheat, but he did get her back for what she'd done to him.

He extended his hand down to her and winked, "Need some help up?"

"Shut up." She looked off to the right and grabbed his hand. Thinking fast, she tried to pull him down with her. As she did, he tensed his arm and flexed, causing a motion that pulled her upwards. "Damn it!" She flew onto her feet and swung into his chest. His arms wrapped around her waist and he slid his leg back to catch his balance.

"Calm down. It's just a match. You want to go another round? Have a fairer fight? We can. Me and you."

"No." She turned her head and buried her face into his chest, groaning softly as she tried to muffle her voice. "If it's just us I can't control myself."

"Same thing usually tempts me. I think you'll be surprised to know it is just us."

"No it's not. Everyone-"

"Everyone left." She lifted her head and looked out at the building in shock. This was the second time everyone left in the middle of one of their matches! How had she not even noticed?

"What? Are they getting bored or something?"

"Nah, I think Lindsay shooed them off." She looked up at him and his head tilted to the right. "The thing I've learned in this last year. Half of the people in this group don't care, and those are usually all the low ranking belts. Half do care and are willing to do whatever it takes, but most of them have other things to do and can't stay very long."

"Oh." Her hands slid up his back and her lips curled into a smile as she studied his soft, tender lips. "I heard you talking to Lindsay earlier. I still can't understand what you see in me. I'm no one special."

"That's where you're wrong. You reminded me of what was important. I didn't fall in love with you because you were beautiful, because you fight as good as you do…" She moved her hands up to his shoulders and grasped them firmly while tightening her jaw.

"Then why? Why do you love me? What makes me so damn important to you?"

"Because you make me a better person, Trina." She hesitated as his features softened. "You see how I am now? For the first time in my life I was challenged to think like a damn human being because some girl showed me another side of life."

"Seriously?"

His hands moved up her arms and came to rest just below her shoulders. "You're a distraction, Trina, a big one. Not to me, of course. To me you're a good one." Her heart began to rise as she searched his eyes for any sign of weakness. There was none. "Strong, headstrong, compassionate…" He cocked a tiny smirk and tilted his handsome head towards the right. "A little loudmouthed too, and brash. That's you. I love you for what comes _after _the fight."

"The sex?"

"Seriously? We're having a moment, here, I thought." She chuckled nervously as he closed his eyes and exhaled softly. "Think about it, Trina. I was trained to be a beast. Bloodthirsty, dangerous…a professional killer. Not necessarily a hitman but you know, like a wrestler or a grandmaster martial artist. I was supposed to be a machine. _I_ was the one with the shell. Who do you think cut through all that?"

"I…" Her eyes began to water and she stammered for speech. She felt herself pulled towards him and her eyes fluttered shut as he kissed her lips. After a minute, he pulled away and released her, gazing at her with a strong sense of compassion.

"Never forget that person, Trina. I love your gentleness, your compassion, your kindness and strength. I love that you have the capability to do whatever you determine is right. Yes you let the way your relatives act get the best of you, but you're not weak-you don't need to be controlled. You just need to see that, because right now? The woman I saw here today? That's who you are, Trina."

She exhaled slowly as his hand caressed her chin. "You're beautiful. Inside, outside, all around…there's nothing I can say that could truly describe how much you mean to me. I don't, I never want to lose that. I'll always love you, even if you say you won't. Because of you, I will _never_ become what my father and my uncle want. I will never follow their plan, their path. That's why they're so against you." She curled her eyebrows together and her body shook as he gazed into her eyes. "Because of you, Trina, I was willing to rise above them. They wanted me to be a beast, to be brutal-who they want me to be would probably have done worse to those three friends of your sister's even."

"Y-Yeah…"

"There's a reason Uncle Sikowitz wanted to keep you away from me." Her body tensed as he walked past her, leaving only a gust of air to brush past her. "But if you don't feel anything for me, there's nothing I can do."

She turned sharply, trying to call out to him, but he was already out the door.

Her heart sounded out like a trumpet tearing through the silence. Trina cupped her hands over her chest and bowed her head, struggling to remember the person Jason had talked about. The person she was.

The beauty. That was the last thing she would ever have thought of herself, and the last comparison she'd ever make of herself.

* * *

Yes there's a beauty and the beast reference here, and honestly it fits the couple. You'll see why next chapter, which is a flashback chapter. Hope you enjoyed this chap, let me know.


	22. The 'Beast'

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 22 (The Beast)

"You kidding?" Eighteen year old Jason sat amidst the group of martial artists at the camp lunch table. His elbow hung over the top of the thin wood bench chair and his lip was tucked into a cold smirk. "I could take on anyone in this camp. That chick the other day was just a fuckin' fluke." The boys laughed and Jason's eyes narrowed as a vicious scowl spread across his lips. "Cut that shit out."

"Dude she took one hit and brought you to your knees," Remarked the redhead, "You lost." He felt embarrassed enough having been thrown off by a flash of a breast, but to say he'd never seen a girl naked before felt even worse. He turned his eyes to the girls at the far side of the room.

There she was, the brunette that got the best of him. "Fucking…" She was smirking at him. Her eyes were burning into his flesh. Her legs were up on the table and her hands were folded over her stomach. "She's mocking me." He growled as the men continued to laugh. "No. I don't lose! I do not lose!"

He couldn't lose. It wasn't possible, wasn't allowed. He would take her down, but this time it would be a fair fight! No distractions!

"Dude, it's just a match. Calm down-"

"Don't you tell me to calm down!" He slammed his fist on the table and stared directly into the man's eyes. His nostrils flared as the veins in his neck began to pop out. They didn't understand why it was so important that he win, why it was so important that he make his uncle and his father proud of him. "If I lose, If I lose to any goddamn person-"

"Hey tough guy!" He froze, hearing her voice from behind. He spun around, meeting her dark brown eyes. He felt a blaze encircling them, scorching them. "What's your problem, anyway?"

"My problem is you cheated me out of that fight. I should have won." She moved her hands to her hips and laughed. He sneered at her, unable to figure out her smugness or confidence. "You and me, fair fight. Rematch."

"Oh come on." She circled him, poking his back between the shoulderblades. He let out a subtle grunt and closed his eyes. "I know men like you. Violent, brash, you think you can take an innocent girl and beat her up. It's guys like you that caused me to become a fighter."

"What? I would never strike a woman outside of a fair match." His uncle and father may have done a lot of things, but one thing that was taught was to respect women. He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "Don't be quick to judge. I'm not an abuser, I respect women."

"Really? Because it looks to me you've never seen another woman before."

"Of course I am." He tilted his head and his nose twitched as the girl swept her hand along his shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"Testing you. I don't know. You're…funny to me. Yes I showed you my breast, I honestly didn't think it was going to do anything to you because you're an eighteen or nineteen year old man who should have been with other women before. Now you tell me you're respectful to women but you've never been with one?"

"I've dated before, I'm not completely ignorant. Most of the time my father or uncle are quick to send them away though." She stopped in front of him and raised an eyebrow.

"No offense, but they sound like a couple of arrogant old men."

"They just want me in top shape, that's all."

"Seriously?" She turned her back to him and lifted her hands up, stretching her arms over her head. She let out a heavy sigh and bent forward, reaching for her toes. "Fine. You want a rematch, meet me on the bridge over the creek at four. I'm Katrina, by the way." She rose up and twisted around, extending her hand to him and holding her gaze in his. "You are?"

"Jason." He shook her hand, then watched as she walked away. To the side, the boys were laughing about his being called out. He sneered at them and slammed a heavy foot forward, startling them. "Shut your holes before I do it."

At four, he was at the bridge waiting for her to arrive. He leaned against the railing, tapping his fingers on the wood while watching the water flow beneath. His mind drifted towards his uncle and his father, they worked so hard to get him to where he was at now. He couldn't just let it all go to waste.

"Why do you let them control you?" He flinched and turned his head to see Trina walking towards him. She moved onto the bridge and let her hand slide along the wooden railing. "Why do you need this notion that you're better than anyone else?"

"I have to be the best." Jason folded his arms as Trina turned towards the water and leaned over the rail. He raised an eyebrow at her and studied the posture she held. Her legs were crossed and her soft body was illuminated by the sunlight. Her face reflected in the clear water a saddened smile, but a strong gaze. "It's what my uncle and my father want for me."

"Well. What do you want? Don't you want a life? You can't be all fight and no life. Then you'll just wind up hopeless and lonely."

"I…doubt it." His gaze drifted to the side and he leaned over the rail beside her. He thought they were going to have a rematch. Her mind didn't seem to be on fighting, but why not? "There's not much else to life I'd think. I can't date, I can't hang out with my friends-which are nonexistent as it is, but I don't need friends."

"That's where you're wrong." She closed her eyes and lifted her shoulders. "Everyone needs friends, everyone needs a life. In fact, what your family seems to want for you seems incredibly lonely. I can tell you're lonely too."

"I am not."

"Hide behind that tough guy façade all you like." Trina pushed herself up, grasping the rail firmly and peering down at the rushing river. "Look down there. This was the first place I visited when I came here yesterday."

"What about it?" He leaned on his arm against the rail and looked sideways at his reflection. His face was long, his eyes dull, and his mouth had frown lines at the corners. "It's just water."

"Smile." His eyebrow lifted and he slowly looked over to her. Was she daft? "I know it sounds stupid. Humor me." He tried for a smile, but when he looked in the water he appeared to still be frowning. He tried again, but his facial muscles remained the same. Frustration brewed in him as he glanced over to Trina, who was shaking her head. "See, it really does freeze on your face like they say."

"You're kidding me."

"Oh Jason…" She walked around him, clicking her tongue. "Look. I know the feeling, okay? Your uncle, your dad, they sound like pricks. You should meet my family sometimes, they really are pricks." He chuckled softly as Trina walked to the edge of the bridge. "My grandfather gets away with _so much_ in the family, he thinks he's the head. My dad just ignores me now that he's remarried a queen with a diva daughter. My entire family rallies around both like they can do no wrong, and anything that happens is my fault to begin with." He felt a sudden pang in his heart and glanced towards the boards of the bridge.

"You seem well off."

"Do I?" She chuckled under her breath and slowly worked her luscious brown hair into a ponytail. "Jason, we're out in the wilderness right now. This is my home, where I feel secure, safe…nothing can touch me in this nature." His eyebrows rose again as she turned her head over her shoulder. "My family can't control me here. I'm in the country, the fresh open air. What worries do I have?"

"One way to look at it."

"You should consider it."

"Consider what?"

"Letting yourself live a little while?" She scoffed and moved towards him. She reached up, patting his cheek a couple times, causing him to stagger backwards two steps. "My god, have they really sheltered you _that much?_ What the hell you even doing here?"

"They wanted me to train so they sent me."

"Okay. Right." Her eyes darted to the right, then back. "Well. You're here for four months, make the best of it."

"And how do I do that?"

"By being true to who you are and realizing what's around you. Let go…" She took his hands and began to pull him out into the open field. He'd always grown up in the city, so he didn't exactly like the outdoors as much as this girl appeared to.

"I've lived in the city all my life."

"So have I."

"You seem more in tune with it all." He watched her stretch, loosening up her body. She proceeded to throw some practice punches and kicks while he stood there, his muscles growing more rigid by the second. "Seems like you would have been outdoors more."

"When I was a child, my elementary school used to have this giant field and a lake nearby that my best friend and I would go to all the time. It's kind of my escape from everything. I can really be myself out there. Out here. Untouched, untainted…I appreciate it."

"Ah."

"City air does make me anxious though. Could never understand why." Trina moved into a fighting stance and looked up at him, smiling gently. "Hey, I had a thought." Seeing this was the rematch he asked for, he moved into his stance as well.

"What?"

"If I win, you got to loosen up. I can show you how, you know. Just a couple stretches, maybe some meditation." She didn't sound so sad anymore, her voice was once again confident and determined.

Still, he could not figure this girl out. "Where did you learn to fight?"

"My best friend, Lindsay. She's awesome, you'd like her if you ever met her. Just don't piss her off, she'd kick your ass."

"Doubtful. Not with the things my uncle taught me. I've been practicing all my life."

"Well. Now's your chance to show it. I promise, no dirty tricks."

"Fair fight?"

"Yes. If I win, you loosen up and let me show you how to relax. You win, fine. I'll leave you alone and you can go back to doing whatever it is your family wants." She tensed her hands and cracked her neck from side to side. "Ready?"

"Yeah." He sprang forward, charging her. He anticipated taking her by surprise. Her eyes widened and she quickly sidestepped him, then lifted her leg and slammed it into his lower back. He lunged forward, falling to his hands and knees.

"Did you really just try to charge me? Don't charge. Fighting angry isn't going to do you any good! That's what Lindsay always says."

"Is it?" He pushed himself up and growled as she bounced on her heels.

"You're going to have to let your mind go. Don't focus on winning, just focus on the match. Focus on me."

"If you say so." He dusted off his arms and flew towards her once more. She rolled her eyes and twisted sideways. He passed her, shocked by her quick movements and let out a shout as she slammed her arm and the side of her hand down against the vertical line in his back. Once more he stumbled forward and threw his head over his shoulder with a growl. "Damn!"

"Told you not to charge, didn't I?" She blew on her knuckles and shook her head. "Marcus charged me. Lindsay slammed his ass."

"Marcus? Who the hell is Marcus?"

"Boyfriend of mine a few years back. The abusive guy I may have mentioned."

"Sorry."

"Whatever, I'm past him now." She crouched and lowered her fingertips to the grass. He took a step back and watched her closely, anticipating her next move. He knew better than to charge, and she might expect him to do so.

He shifted his foot forward and her eyes flew towards it, causing him to move it back. She was stalking him, that's what it was. Waiting for a chance for him to slip, to create an opening.

"Analyzing me, I see."

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Your arms are big, your shoulders broad, but your ankles are a wee bit small. That tells me one thing…you'd better guard those legs of yours."

"My legs are my most powerful asset." He performed a roundhouse kick, showing off how powerful he was. Trina didn't appear to be impressed and gave him an empty stare. "Oh come on!"

"Don't try to show off." She lunged forward and he quickly snapped back into his fighter stance. When he threw a sharp punch, she ducked under his arm. Before he had a chance to react, he saw her foot slide across the ground and slam into his. He let out a loud scream as his body crashed into the dirt and grass.

In an instant, she wrapped around him like a snake coiling about its prey. She moved his wrists together, held them in place above his head and brought her forearm to his neck, successfully pinning him down.

His heart thumped as she lowered her face an inch away and stared into his eyes with sharp determination. "Looks like I win, Jason. For the next four months. You're mine."

"N-No, I can't…How…" He rolled out from under her and sat upright, looking down at his hands. Anger and defeat swelled inside him as his eyes clenched. He visualized his uncle and his father telling him how cowardly he was and how weak he was. "I'm not weak. I can't be weak. I can't lose."

"Come on Jason, you can't win everything." She sat beside him and set her hand on his wrist, pushing it down. He glanced at her, furrowing his brow and heaving a heavy sigh. "Look, I don't know what the situation is but you're going to be just fine if you let yourself go for a while."

"You don't understand. I have to win. I-"

"Do you even know why?" She poked her temple, narrowing her eyes at him. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe they're just trying to live some stupid twisted dream of theirs? Maybe they're just crazy. Who knows! You don't have to be their war machine. Do you really want to fight all your life? I mean is that all you want to be?"

"No…" She rolled her eyes and looked away, sighing heavily.

"Well that's a start." She fell onto her back and pointed up at the sky. "Hey Jason, what does that look like to you?"

"Seriously?" He rolled his eyes and laid back with her. He folded his arm over his stomach and sighed as he studied the clouds. He always thought stuff like cloud watching was stupid, not that a good use of time. If she was interested though, the least he could do was take an interest. "Alright."

He felt her nudge up beside him and quickly looked towards her, startled by the sudden gesture. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm cold. Sue me. You look warm. Besides, if we're looking at the clouds, the closer we are the better we can see them." She set her head on his stomach and pointed to an oddly shaped cloud directly above them. "There's a dog. My parents won't own dogs. We're renting and the place doesn't allow them."

"Aw that sucks." He squinted and was able to make out the shape of an animal with four legs. His body relaxed as he listened to the soothing sound of the creek brushing up against the shoreline and rocks. In the distance he heard birds chirping, soothing him. He could probably get used to this.

"Thanks, I guess. This is nice." She didn't respond. When he glanced down, her eyes were closed and her chest was slowly rising and falling. "She…fell asleep?" If he recalled, she came on a bus from the Tuskanee Airport, which flew people in from the states around California. It was quite the trip, he knew, since his uncle lived out there. The camp itself was up in Montana. Secluded by mountains, valleys and rolling hills. "I got it…"

He moved his arm across her stomach and gazed down at her tan, sunlit skin. Her light peach lips were smooth and partially open and her brown bangs seemed to curl above her eyes. Her hands were folded on her abdomen, her left leg was extended while her right was bent at an angle rising into the air.

She beat him in a fair fight, while she was exhausted. He couldn't believe it. He slowly swept the hair from her face and started to smile as a very soft snore drifted from her. Maybe he'd have to look into this calm style of fighting that she was into.

"I guess I can give you a chance," Jason whispered. Four months to be himself and not worry about what Uncle Sikowitz and his father thought of his actions? It truly did sound like a good deal to him. "I can't miss out on that, now can I?"

* * *

Humble beginnings of a great relationship. Thought you might like to see how they met and grew close. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, next shall come soon.


	23. The Tiger and Bear Hunt the Wolf

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 23 (Tiger and Bear Hunting the Wolf)

Rushing out of the Coliseum, Trina could see the Sundance apartments across the street. "Jason." She wasn't entirely sure what apartment number he was at, but surely someone would know.

She rushed into the building, her heart racing as she scanned the surroundings for him. There was a girl at the front desk watching her closely. "Did Jason come in? Jason Tyler?" The girl shook her head and tapped the desk with her fingertips.

"No. A couple of men were just here looking for him too." She was slow to process who would be looking for him around here, but when it hit her, her heart crashed down and her body started to freeze. It couldn't be his uncle and father, there was no reason for them to be here! No reason for them to interfere!

"Do you remember what they looked like?" She heard an elevator ding and looked back as the doors began to open. The two men stepped out, but did not see her. One was a tall man with a large black cowboy hat and a thick moustache. The other was none other than Mr. Sikowitz.

"They're right over there." She covered her mouth to stifle a shout and hid behind the desk. The girl jerked back and looked down at her. "Hey you can't be back here." She put her finger to her lips and motioned towards the two men.

"You do not understand, they can't see me. Act like I'm not here." Harold wouldn't be able to recognize her, but Erwin most definitely would. If he saw her, then he might try to take Jason away. She wasn't going to let that happen, especially since he was happy here.

"I'm telling you when we find that boy, we need to help him get his priorities straight." She tensed at Sikowitz's words, unable to believe that this man would really say something like that-that he would really be so controlling. Maybe the father wasn't so bad.

Harold rubbed his chin and spoke with a deep, aggressive tone. "He's been off gallivanting around like a wild stallion-and we're going to have to put him back in the stable." Trina paled at this and clenched her fists. Aside from the bad analogy, she was bewildered by how controlling these two were. Even the members of her family, save maybe Holly and her own grandfather, weren't this bad.

"No, we'll give him another chance Harry. Something's been getting in the way, and I have a suspicion what-or who." The girl looked down to Trina with worry and whispered if she'd like her to call for help. Trina shook her head and chuckled dryly.

"It's just a family matter," she whispered, "Nothing more." She had to find Jason before they did. Furthermore, she had to do whatever she could to stay out of Mr. Sikowitz's line of vision.

She heard a phone ring and froze as Sikowitz turned it off while his brother asked who it was. "One of my students. Tori. Probably wants some advice with something."

"You could answer, Erwin."

"I'm on break away from those kids. I think I'm good." Trina's stomach flipped and she turned her head away, struggling to push down the bile induced anger rising up in her. Did Sikowitz not _care_ about his students? Then again, they weren't his primary goal if he was here.

"Right. Why do you think there's a distraction here? Also, didn't that woman go to a different state altogether? It could be someone else."

"No. There's a particular effect." Trina poked her head above the desk. The two men had stopped on the rug in the center of the room and were facing one another. Sikowitz was rubbing his beard with one hand and holding a cane in the other. Upon seeing the cane, her mind immediately flashed to those scars on Jason's body.

She cringed and pulled herself back down, holding her arms around her stomach and listening as the men conversed. She was also curious why Sikowitz thought she was the distraction. "First off, he didn't want anything to do with my 'play' until I told him he could choose three people, and without hesitation he went after three of my star pupils. Each with negative connections to that woman."

Trina looked over her shoulder and pressed her lips firmly together. "What connection is there to that?"

"He insulted the sister by saying she was neither cute nor attractive. He would not make eye contact with Cat-who was the one that he convinced to take her to the Vega house the night they were doing that assignment at my house." So he had gone looking for her? Was that why they sent him away the first time? A subtle moan crept up her throat, but she silenced herself before letting it out.

"Not only did he single out Beck, Andre, and Robbie-three people who have individually and group-wise impacted Miss Vega in some negative ways-but he did not damage them. Not nearly as bad as I was expecting him to. He's gone soft, he's not focused."

"I still don't see the connection. Maybe a little part of it."

"There's also what he said to me, and what he said to you, about there being only one woman he was interested in? Doesn't that raise any flags?" The two men walked towards the desk and Sikowitz looked to the girl with a friendly smile. "Hello miss! I'll give you my number and you can call me if you see my nephew, all right?"

"Yes sir."

"Thank you." Trina narrowed her eyes as she watched Sikowitz, inches away from where she was hiding, jot down his phone number on a scrap of paper. He handed it to the woman, then walked off with Harold. Before the girl could so much as glance at it, Trina swiped the slip of paper and tore it up.

"What are you doing?"

"You're not telling him where Jason is. I don't care if he _is_ Jason's Uncle." Sure her uncles could be hard on her. The thing that Uncle George and Uncle John had always said was for her to do something with her life. Anything at all, it did not matter what. They didn't push her to be the best computer whiz or the best mathematician. They didn't push her to excel and go into the military. No. They were nicer than that.

Her breath caught in her throat as tears began to drip from the corners of her eyes. How had she not seen this? She'd spent so much time thinking of the negatives that she didn't see what was good? Maybe not in regards to her stepmom or her grandfather, but she lumped all of her relatives in one boat. Was it fair? Not to the ones that were good.

"I'm going to find Jason. You're sure you haven't seen him?" The girl shook her head again and Trina glanced to the front doors. Sikowitz and Harold were standing right outside. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth turned into a scowl. "Is his roommate up there? Any of his roommates?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"Okay." If they were up there, they might know where Jason was headed. Sikowitz had a friendly demeanor about him to most outside people, so she was certain they would have told him if they knew. _"How could Mr. Sikowitz do this? I-I don't understand…"_

She felt betrayed and shaken, torn by the harsh and bitter words the man had spoken. His tone had contained so much bitterness that Trina could feel the tension in the air shift from pleasant to devastating.

Trina tried to dial Jason's number, but his phone had gone directly to voicemail. "Come on, turn on your phone!" Maybe she'd pushed him too far. How long could he go on the way they'd been, anyway? What did she expect him to do? Damage himself more by repeatedly having sex with her and receiving nothing in return?

She didn't want sex. She wanted him, but now it might be too late.

Immediately she sent Lindsay a text to be on the lookout for Jason. She didn't want to say that the man's uncle and father were here, it would mean nothing to Lindsay considering she didn't know the full details.

Her eyes darted back to the door where the two men were still standing. What were they waiting for? She could feel her heart constrict and slowly Trina turned her gaze up to the girl. "Is there another way out?"

"Through the back." She pointed down a hallway and furrowed her brow. "Just go out that way."

"Thank you."

As she ran for the doors, her thoughts went to Jason's uncle. She knew nothing about the man, at least not anymore. She was scared, terrified that there was something a lot more sinister going on than she'd first suspected. How far would he go to 'remove' a distraction from his nephew's life?

She didn't want to consider the thoughts racing to her mind, because Sikowitz would never do anything so malicious. Not the teacher she'd seen around her sister, she couldn't see it. Yet the man she just saw, she could honestly see it. How damaged was he?

It wasn't hard to forget what Jason had said about Sikowitz's failure in the eyes of his own father, and how the man busted up his leg. Something like that could drive a man to the brink of insanity. Then there was Harold, she couldn't remember Jason telling her anything about that man-and she got a more sinister sensation from him than she did from the Uncle.

"Shit. What did I get myself into? Falling in love with this guy…" She bolted out of the doors and looked from side to side. She was beginning to panic because now she couldn't just randomly call out for him without thinking Sikowitz would hear. Not to mention, she really didn't want to confirm the man's suspicions about her distracting Jason from their ultimate goal-whatever that goal was.

"Let's walk around here," she heard the familiar voice closing in from around the corner of the building. She pressed her back against the wall, cursing under her breath as sweat began to trickle down the side of her face. "We may find one of them around here. That girl at the front desk seemed fickle to me, Harry."

"If you say so. What about the woman? What if she's here? What will we do?"

"Well first, I may want to confirm with the Vegas that she really is in that others state. Though I don't want to raise any red flags. The little sister's naïve, I'll just ask her next time we're in class."

_"You will stay the fuck away from my sister."_ She may neither like or care about her stepsister due to the lack of contact and concern Tori showed her, but there was no way in hell she wanted harm to fall on her in any way. This was a new feeling she'd discovered after almost losing her father.

"And if she is here, we'll simply see if the distraction removes itself. If not, we'll remove the obstacle." Trina slipped back into the building and pressed herself up against the wall. Her body trembled with fear.

Her phone buzzed and she quickly removed it from her pocket. It was Lindsay, telling her to come to the apartment. She couldn't do that, she didn't have time. She responded with the urge to find Jason, and Lindsay replied in seconds that she should just come to the apartment.

Complying, but only out of fear of being spotted by the two men currently walking around campus, Trina bolted for the front doors. The girl at the desk raised an eyebrow at her, but did not bother to ask what was going on.

Without looking back, she raced for her own apartment complex. Sikowitz couldn't run well. Even if he saw her, they wouldn't be able to catch up.

As she neared the apartment, she saw Lindsay standing outside the door. In the parking lot beside her was a jet black motorcycle with a fireball insignia on the sides that started in the front and moved along towards the back end. Her eyebrow lifted and she started to slow down into a walk as she studied the rider standing up beside it.

Jason.

"Oh god." She rushed towards him and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face into his chest. "Jason, I tried to find you…" He held her waist and swept his hand up to her upper back, massaging her gently. "I-I saw your Uncle. He's here-"

"I know. I saw them parking in one of the lots." She looked up at him, her cheeks damp with her anxious tears and her body still shivering from the rush of anxiety. "It's okay, Trina."

"I've never seen Mr. Sikowitz like that…"

"He and Dad are pretty messed up when you think about it. The coconut milk just helps Uncle Sikowitz stay calm-not the other way around. Honestly, when I saw your sister and her friends over at his place that night, I was surprised he lasted as long as he did."

"Oh god."

"It's okay, they're not going to do anything."

"I thought-I thought I lost you. I thought I pushed you too far or something, that you wouldn't."

"Just relax. Here, let's go somewhere we can talk, okay?" She moved her eyebrows together as his right arm remained curled around her waist while leading her over to the bike. "I know a place you can relax, and you know, be yourself I guess."

"Okay?" She looked back to Lindsay, who simply smiled and shrugged her shoulders. The girl really had toned down if she was actually going to let Jason take Trina somewhere on a motorcycle.

She got on behind him and slid her arms around his waist. Her head moved onto his back and her eyes glinted off into the direction that his apartment complex was. Jason grabbed his black helmet from the handlebar it was hanging off and handed it to her. "Put it on."

"What about you?"

"Well if we do happen to crash, which won't happen, I'd rather bust my head than for you to get hurt." Her eyes widened and she slowly accepted the helmet. She didn't want to think about him crashing and getting hurt right now. "Where was the last place you saw Uncle Psycho and Dad?"

"Your complex. Why do you call him Uncle Psycho?"

Jason chuckled and tensed his hands around the handlebars. "Okay, so towards Midwestern Parkway. Well then we'll go the other way, to Hampstead. Good thing that's the way I typically go."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see. It's a place you can clear your head. Me too…" He started up the bike and Trina slipped on the helmet. She flung the visor down over her eyes and tightened her arms around him.

"You didn't answer my question, you know."

"If he's not drinking his coconut milk and he's not taking his medication, then he can be a bit of a psycho." The engine revved and Jason took off. Trina's body jolted back from the takeoff and her arms dug into his stomach, keeping her on.

They turned the corner, moving along towards Hampstead. Trina glanced back and saw Sikowitz and Harold walking in the distance. They looked up, but the motorcycle was cloaked by a midst of black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe.

"I really do need to get my exhaust checked on this thing." He glanced over his shoulder momentarily, then leaned down as they neared the back street. "For the moment, it's useful."

* * *

So we see part of the other side of Mr. Sikowitz. Well this was an intense chapter, what are your thoughts and observations?


	24. Land of Serenity

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 24 (Land of Serenity)

Trina opened her eyes once the roar of the engine cut off. "We're here." She removed her helmet and looked out at a wide, open field with a large lake and a dock that extended out above it. Her breath caught in her throat and her hand moved up to her chest as Jason got off the bike.

"It's beautiful." The air felt clean here. The lake shimmered in the sunlight and the ducks in it were splashing about. In the blue sky, she saw a mass of birds flying in a 'V' formation. There were no rising skyscrapers, no sounds of the busy city life. The only noise was the rustling of the scattered trees rustling their leaves in the wind.

Beyond the lake was a river that ran past them. She was curious about where exactly they were. As Jason extended his hand, she placed hers in his and moved off the motorcycle. "Where exactly are we?"

"I have to be honest, a tiny bit outside of Wichita Falls." Her eyebrows rose as he walked her towards the dock. She followed his pointing to the river and smiled as the wind blew the mist of the lake towards her. "That over there is the Wichita River, by the way." He leaned back against the wooden docks and crossed his right leg over his left while hanging his elbows over the edge. The wind blew his hair back and rustled his shirt. "Don't tell my father, but this is my mom's land. We're on an old reservation."

"What?" His mother? She'd never heard him speak about her more than once, and the one time she had was at camp when he said he didn't know who she was. "You don't know your mom, though. I thought?"

"I found out about her several months ago." She walked up next to him and rested her hands on the frame of the railing. Her eyes peered at two ducks below them and her lips curved into a gentle smile. "Mom gave me up to my dad when I was born because she couldn't take care of me. At that point, he didn't know who my mother was because unlike me, he doesn't believe in staying with one woman."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well…" He turned around and leaned over the dock, gazing down at his reflection. "I figured my mother had to live around here somewhere. My dad's lived in Texas all his life. That being said, it took a while but with the names of the women he had around that time, I went looking based off that. Eventually, found out my mom owned a cabin out here and came to see her, she told me everything."

"I'm glad you found her."

"Yep." He stretched his arms out and pat the rail once. "She said when she knew my father, he was a professional fighter-of course you know that. You know how many different types of combat sports there are? It's not limited to boxing, wrestling and martial arts. They are listed in categories though."

She furrowed her brow and looked at him with concern, studying his hands as he counted out each by pointing a finger out. "Striking, Grappling, Hybrid, Weapons…then there are the subcategories. Can you guess the ones in Striking?"

"Boxing?"

"That's Fist fighting. The rest have to do with Kickboxing, Full Contact Karate, Taekwondo, Shoot Boxing." This was just the 'striking' category? "Under Grappling you might recognize Sumo wrestling as part of the subcategory of Pinning and takedown wrestling. You also have Submission Grappling, and then Folk Wrestling."

She started to pale and turned towards the lake, shocked by how much he knew. Then again, this was all engrained into him by his Uncle and his father. It had to be. "Okay…So hybrid's obvious."

"Mix of Striking and Grappling. Weapon should also be obvious. Dad spent a lot of years as a professional Hastilude player."

"What's that?"

"Lance fighting, a term coined in the middle ages. It's a subcategory basically what it is today is modern competitive jousting." Trina's jaw dropped as Jason looked over to her. "Also a part of SCA Heavy combat games, and a little bit of Kendo. Uncle Sikowitz dealt in Kickboxing. Grandpa was into what they call Dambe, and it just goes on." He bent forward and rolled his eyes. "Apparently we come from some form of ancient gladiators. Uncle Sikowitz never had kids, and I'm an only child. Do the math."

"Oh god…"

"There are _so many_ combat sports I can choose from-and they wanted me to know it all." She reached over, curling her hand around his. "They don't care what I do as long as it's professional fighting. I'd better be the top of my game, I can't afford distractions." He glanced at her and took a slow, deep breath. "But you changed that."

"I don't know that I had that influence."

"Well. I am telling you that you did. On me, anyway. My dad and Uncle weren't too happy about it when I came back from that camp reasoning that I wasn't going to be a fighter like they were. They've done nothing but trying to get me to see value in it-but it disgusts me."

"They didn't like that I bothered with you? What, they never had a woman before?" He bowed his head and laughed, spreading his arms out on the rail and shaking his head. "Well aside from maybe your dad."

"Cheesy as it is they've never known what it's like to be in love." Trina leaned back, stricken with joy at hearing those words. Of course she already knew how he felt about her, but it seemed to impact her more than it had been. "They've never had what you and I do. Neither did grandpa-even grandma says that man never loved her even to the day he died. In return, she never loved him and mom wanted nothing to do with my father."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" He glanced at her and curled his lip into a handsome smirk. "Doesn't seem like I'm following their traditional path, now does it?"

She slowly extended her arm around the back of his shoulders, resting her hand over his far right shoulder. She moved her head onto his closest shoulder. "No. It doesn't."

"Tea?" She jerked her head upright and looked over her shoulder to see a woman of forty standing at the shoreline. She had a floral patterned dress on and long black hair that flowed from a white cowboy hat resting atop her head. Her eyes were soft and she had some features that matched with Jason. In her hands was a silver tray with two green cups without handles.

Trina took a deep breath as Jason looked at the woman. "Sure, mom. This is Trina, by the way." The woman looked much younger than either Harold or Mr. Sikowitz, leaving her with the impression that Jason's tale of his father's loveless life was entirely accurate.

"Good to meet you." The woman walked towards them and extended the tray. "I don't mean to bother you two, I just wanted to see this beautiful woman you keep telling me about." Trina blushed and graciously took the cup of tea from the tray.

"Thank you Ms-"

"Louisa. Louisa Marigold." Jason took his cup of tea and thanked his mom. She flashed another smile, nodded at Trina and started to walk away.

"I'll leave you two to your conversation."

"Thanks, Mom."

"So. That was your mom." Trina carefully sipped the tea, closing her eyes and delighting in the pleasant taste of honey and ginger-as well as a variety of pleasant herbs. "She seems nice."

"She really is." He returned to the lake and bent his forearm across the rail to lean against it. "Native American. Half, actually. Her dad was full blooded. Keme and his family actually owned this land, Mom came into possession of it when he passed away."

He took a sip of his tea and brought the cup down with a subtle sigh. "Since I found her and I've been coming to Midwestern, I've actually visited often. I don't think you've told me much about your mother, I know she passed away when you were young."

"My mom? She was a police officer like dad." Trina stood beside Jason, holding her cup with both hands and gazing out over the lake. Her hair blew back as a gentle breeze drifted from the heavens and caressed her. "She was the greatest person. Sweet, smart, beautiful…"

Maybe not the perfect mom, but the woman did the best she could. A woman in a man's world struggling to make it to the top after the divorce. She would never have let the things happen that took place in Trina's life over the last few years.

"I still remember crawling up into her bed at nights when it was cold. She was always so warm." When she was eight years old, her grandparents came to her after school. She was waiting for her mom to return home, and when her grandparents showed up instead, her entire world was crushed.

"Mom…died during a car chase. She was attempting that maneuver they do to try and push the car off the road. She didn't know he was armed…the man shot out her tire and she swerved off the road." Her body tensed and her eyes clenched as her heart thumped heavily in her. She felt Jason put his arm around her shoulders and started to relax. Another cop car struck her in the side and caused her to spin out and tumble off a steep decline. "Her car rolled and she went instantly, they said. They tried to tell an eight year old girl her mom died the moment of impact."

"You don't believe that?"

"I wonder sometimes if it was painless or if she suffered. I'd like to believe that it was painless and she did go instantly."

"You lived with your grandparents a while after that?"

"They said Dad couldn't take care of me like they could. Turns out, dad might have done a better job."

"You know. Mom always says the dead are never truly gone." Trina smiled gently as she watched him look off into the distance. "She says they're right here beside us. When we think about them, whether we're happy or sad. They're our guides in life. In our hearts and when we have to make a decision, they're sometimes the voice in our head when we think about what they might want us to do."

"And what do you believe?"

"I think somewhere out there your mom's watching you, and she's proud."

"Yeah. You think your grandfather-your mom's dad-is watching over you?"

Jason laughed and shrugged, "Mom says I'm just like the guy. I've never met him, but I guess there's some truth to it. Whenever I'm out here, I always feel a presence of some sort. He was strong, a lot like I remember you describing your mom."

"Really?"

"Yeah. A hunter, and with every native American he had a spirit animal guide. The wolf. He was a bit of a mountain man, loved the outdoors and climbing up cliffs."

"That sounds more like my dad."

"Yes, but less angry at paramedics." Trina snickered in memory of her father against the paramedics at the race. "He didn't have too much pride, but was a proud man. He would accept help if he needed it."

"How did he pass? Do you know?"

"I think it was in his sleep. Sometimes, I'd like to think I'd die in my sleep and not in the middle of a fight." He drank the last of his tea and set the cup down on a nearby wooden bench. "You know that's how most of my ancestors died? The middle of a big fight. They were some of the greatest warriors that lived-according to my dad and uncle-but yet they're called losers because they died in a fight."

"You're not a loser, though."

"Could be." He chuckled softly and bowed his head. "1888, Captain Chester Monroe died in a swordfight. Sixty years old. His daughter Beth died in 1910 at fifty years old, she was ahead of her time as one of the first women to be able to draw a gun faster than most men. Died in a duel."

"Oh."

"1790, William Grant was fifty-nine and one of the best fist fighters in his town. Guess what, a young up and coming guy challenged him and struck him in the chest-gave him a heart attack. All the way to apparently our first ancestor that means anything to dad or Uncle Erwin-Romulus Anthony, a gladiator during Julius Caesar's reign…was decapitated. He died at the age of twenty-three in 48 BC. He was disgraced in battle, and thereby ordered by Caesar to die."

"I'm…I don't know what to say."

"You know what happened to my ancestors that didn't want to do whatever it was their parents did? Or if they failed? They were either shamed, disgraced, disowned…sometimes killed." Trina's blood ran cold and once again the sinister feeling she had when she saw Sikowitz came to her mind. "Uncle's shaming came when Grandpa Anthony broke his leg."

"That teacher was always weird, but I don't think he'd resort to murder."

"There's the face you see in the classroom." Jason walked off onto the grass and stretched his arms. "Then there's the face that you don't see."

"He wouldn't hurt you." Trina made her way towards Jason, her heart breaking as she studied him. She wanted to deny any possibility of losing him again. "He couldn't. I couldn't bear it…again." Jason raised an eyebrow at her and motioned her over with his hand.

"Come here a sec." She obliged and he moved within inches of her. His chest expanded and his hand reached out to take hers, giving her a gentle squeeze and relieving her of her concern. "Nothing's going to happen."

"They're going to make you choose, Jason. They're going to make you decide to do what they want, or-"

"They won't come between us. I promise you that. Nothing will come between us again." She furrowed her brow and closed her eyes as he caressed her cheek with his hand. Her body leaned into the motion, and her breath escaped as a shudder. "They separated us once, they won't do it again."

Her heart skipped a beat and she slowly opened her eyes, moving her arms around his waist. "I thought I had it bad." He chuckled and lowered his arm.

"Would you like a rematch for that last spar? I bought you out here also for that. You're not tense anymore, maybe the clear air will help your focus too."

Now he was talking. She nodded and took a couple steps back.

"Sure, I'd love a rematch. Should be fun."

* * *

Got to love good clean air. Well hopefully you've enjoyed the chapter


	25. Sparring with Passion

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 25 (Sparring with Passion)

Trina eyed Jason with a determination she'd not felt in quite some time. She could feel the energy of her surroundings and fed off this positive source. Her breathing flowed into a state of relaxation and her muscles were nowhere near as rigid as they'd been. She felt renewed. "Alright Jason. This time, we'll see who wins."

"A fair fight." He casually removed his jacket and tossed it down to his feet. "Got to have free range of motion."

"This is why my uniform has short sleeves."

"Good luck with that when December comes." They slowly circled each other, Jason moving towards the right and Trina stepping in suit. Who would make the first move? She slanted her eyes, watching him for any opening and any attempt to strike.

His arms were firmly locked in place, his chest and shoulders were parallel and unflinching. His legs moved only in sidestepping motion. There was no sense that he was going to strike, nor was there an opening that Trina could detect. "What do we call this, Jason?"

"An impasse, Trina. An impasse."

His leg lifted, as did hers. Both stepped forward and sliced their arms outwards, clashing their wrists together as though they were two swords coming together. Spying his open right side, Trina spun around and shot her arm towards him in a deadly knife-hand strike. He instantly pushed his hand down, deflecting her attack by grasping her wrist.

She countered by attempting a swift roundhouse kick, which he smoothly ducked beneath and thrust his hand forward with his palm facing up. She felt a sharp poke in her stomach and lunged back, growling softly.

"Not bad." In the game of martial arts, an important rule was to take either the offense or defense. Whatever the opponent was on, take the other. At the same time, always analyze and never rush. "Next plan of action?"

He put a strong left foot forward and slid his right leg back. Anticipating a sweeping kick, Trina locked her wrists together at her waist while glancing at his feet just to make sure he wasn't trying to psyche her out.

She could see him studying her, analyzing her own movements. His eyes traced along her body and his face grew stern. "We can't both be on the defense, Trina."

"Someone's got to move."

"I think this is why our matches tend to last a long time."

"Not in the last few days, anyway." At camp their matches could go on all day. They fought like they made love, passionate and typically slow. There was a particular grace they achieved, and when the camp counselors did tag team matches with them on the same team, they were nearly unstoppable together. Precision and speed along with power and endurance made for an unbeatable partnership.

"God you're sexy…"

"You're not so bad lookin' yourself." She switched legs and leaned back, immediately lifting it and delivering multiple sidekicks. Jason leaned back, deflecting them with his hands. She pulled her lower leg back, still holding it in the air, and twisted her body to face him. Her lip tucked into a smirk as her eyes locked tight onto him.

He slid backwards, breathing heavily while studying her form. "Come on Jason, I'm not letting you close." She was keeping her entire body on guard, and there was no way he'd be using her 'sweet spots' against her either. "Remember which of us is the fast one."

She lowered her leg and sprang forward, intentionally moving past him. His eyes widened as she lifted her leg in the process and swept it into his lower back, sending him forward. He fell onto his hands and knees and Trina darted beside him, raising her foot above her head.

As she brought it crashing down, he flipped onto his back and threw his hands upwards, catching her ankle in them and pushing her leg away. He pulled his right leg up and kicked outwards, striking her in the left thigh. She jumped back and scowled as he bounced onto his feet and swept his hand through the air.

"Your problem is recovering after an attack," Jason stated. "You're fast, but you stay too long in one place once you make contact. Keep moving."

"I'll remember that." It was key to beat him, with how slow he was. If she kept attacking him in a barrage of attacks, he wouldn't be able to deflect them all. She brought her leg up and Jason glanced down in time for her to move the leg back and sweep her arm in an overhead arc into his right shoulder.

He grabbed for his shoulder and looked over just as she slid around him, she poked her forefingers together and thrust them into the spot between his shoulder blades. Jason tensed and started to turn, but just as he did, she thrust her left knee into his side.

Trina turned around him again and performed sweeping strike to his lower back. He reached back, placing his palm on her chest, then pushed forward causing her to stumble backwards. Jason then turned and thrust a slice towards her side.

Thinking fast, Trina tucked her arm upwards, hitting him beneath his arm and thrusting the attack upwards. She then grabbed his arm and rushed behind him, twisting it around his body and locking it against his back. He cried out in pain as she shoved him forward.

On the stumble, he tried to turn, only for Trina to perform a sweeping low kick into his ankles. He let out a scream and crashed into the ground. He flipped onto his back, but like a lion on her prey, she pounced on top of him and slammed her arm down, stopping just above his neck. Her knees straddled him and her free hand rested beside him.

Her eyes fixated on his and her chest heaved as she studied his smirking lips. "Looks like I win." It felt good to be victorious against him, to finally beat him mano a mano. "It's been a while."

"It's definitely good to see you back." He exhaled sharply and slowly lifted his hands, bringing them to rest on her hips. "I'm glad to be sparring with you at your fullest again."

"Whatever." She cupped his face with her hands and lowered herself, tenderly kissing his lips. She felt his arms slide across her waist and pull her body down against his. Trina lifted her lips away from him and slid her eyelids up halfway to gaze into his strong eyes. "I don't want to lose you Jason."

"Didn't we already cover this?"

"Yes…" She wanted to think of a way to keep him from being dragged off unwillingly by his uncle and his father. "Maybe we could have dad-"

"What?"

"I was thinking he could find a way to draft up a restraining order."

"I don't need one."

"But." She rolled off him and curled up at his side. "Your dad and that uncle of yours-"

"There's no reason to involve your family in my problems." It hardly seemed fair, considering she was involved. At the same time, that was a different case. "Besides, Uncle Erwin and dad really haven't done anything illegal."

"Yet! They're scary enough-and they even said they're going to 'remove the distraction' from your life if you don't do what they want." His brow furrowed and his arm moved around her.

"Well I've never known you not to be able to handle yourself, but even if they threatened you…I wouldn't let them touch you." She tucked her knees up between her body and his and lay fully on her side. She reached over his chest and gently kissed his jaw.

"Jason." She tilted her head as his features shifted into a serene smile. His damp hair stuck to his forehead, mixing beautifully with his eyebrows and his deep brown eyes. Trina took a deep breath and thought on her emotions. It wasn't hard to figure out how she felt anymore, but she had to be honest. "I love you."

His hand circled her back, soothing her as his fingers brushed against her. "You don't know how happy it makes me to hear that."

"I want to be with you, but I'm terrified."

"Of what?"

"My family, I guess. It's not that I think they'll disapprove of you, they disapprove of everything I do." She lay back on his chest and stared at a blade of grass. Her forehead tensed and her body shivered once. "There's a set behavior they expect of me. Maybe I should have told you it at camp, but I can't be myself around them."

"Trina. What your grandfather did to you growing up, what your stepmom thinks of you…it's bullshit. You have every right to be yourself, every right to feel the things that you do. You don't need to become an emotionless robot just to gain their approval and satisfaction. Stop thinking you have to please them and please yourself. Do what makes you happy. That's what you told me back at camp, remember?"

"I guess so."

"What makes you happy?"

"This. What we have right now." She tightened her hug around him and kissed his chest once. "Being Lindsay's best friend, being a martial artist. Studying history. This life…this is what I want, where I want to be."

"Good! So do it. If they don't like it, so what. It's their problem, not yours." His hand brushed through her hair and his eyes fixated in fondness at her. "In the meantime, be with me. Stay at my side." Her eyebrows rose and she gazed back into his sincere, loving gaze. "I don't want anyone else, and neither do you. We don't need to be 'friends with benefits' or anything like that…but if I can call you my girlfriend, I think I'll be happy with that."

"Yes." It was exactly what she wanted. Her father already liked the guy, not that she required his approval. "Lindsay says we should do things real couples do. Like actually going on a date." He laughed.

"She's probably right about that." He reached down and kissed the top of her head, then slowly inhaled. "You like barbeque? There is an excellent barbeque joint in the city. Though, if you've ever been to a hibachi restaurant, you might rather go to this Japanese place. Great food."

"Do you want to do that with those guys trying to find you?"

"Not like Dad and Uncle Erwin are going to find me that easily. I won't be found unless I want to be." His fingertips moved sensually along her arm, causing her to shiver as chills radiated into her. "You won't have to worry."

"It's not me I'm worried about."

"I know. Trust me, everything will be alright. I'll figure something out. I know I have to answer them eventually."

"Why?"

"They are still family, no matter how much I don't like them. I can answer them, but it doesn't mean I have to do what they say. I'll hold out as long as I can."

That was all she could hope for, because even she didn't know what to do. He wasn't going to be able hide from them and he couldn't just cut them off as easily as she had done her family. "I guess I'm taking a risk with you?"

"Yeah. You alright with that?" He smirked at her and she shrugged, smirking back.

"Bring it on."

* * *

On their way to being a full fledged couple. How lovely


	26. Credit Where Due

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 26 (Credit Where Due)

Trina rolled off Jason and gazed up at the trees that shielded them, their wooden encampment. "We've got to stop doing this…" They'd gone into the deep woods outside of the cabin and it was there they had lain with one another once more. "But it feels so right." Her chest heaved as she snuggled close to him.

Her concern was that they needed to get back to the campus soon, but she could hardly care at this point. "Well, you did say I slighted you the other day or something." She wiped her mouth and looked down as he buttoned up his jeans.

"Yeah, I didn't get a chance to pleasure you."

He put his arm beneath her neck and kissed her temple, "You do every time we're together." Her cheeks flared up and she playfully smacked him in the side.

"I meant physically."

"I know. I was ignoring the comment." He gently kissed her lips and held his gaze within an inch from hers as he caressed her cheek. She held her breath and curled her lips into a soft smile. "I never want to let go of you, Trina. You are the woman I want in my life."

She tangled her fingers in his and moved her forehead into him. "You're the man I want. Maybe if we give it some time, we can see where this relationship takes us?"

"I'm willing to try if you are?" She pressed her lips together and slowly nodded. She may never patch things up with the members of her family, but at the very least, Jason was the rock she needed in her life. She stretched her arm around him and nuzzled close, curling her legs around his.

"I am. I think I'm finally ready to give it a chance." She rolled onto her back and moved her right hand over her stomach while gazing up at the clouds. "I realize I've not talked much about my family. If we're really going to do this, maybe I should?"

"Whenever you feel like talking about them, I'm here."

"I know." Her eyelids sealed over and she shrugged. "All my extended family members that I talk about, the ones that matter, they're actually on my mom's side of the family. Aunt Diane, Uncle George. Uncle John and Aunt Sonya. Sarah, Jonah, Danielle, Jake and Justin. They don't all really like my dad much anymore, though Aunt Diane thinks I should at least try to maintain a relationship with him."

"You do try."

"Yeah, she has her reasons for saying it though." Aunt Diane told her once a long time ago about her own father. The man didn't want her marrying Uncle George and was so angry when she did that the two had a big fight and never spoke to each other for years. This ended when they finally decided to patch things up, but it was less than a year later that her father died from lung cancer. "I think she just wants me to be on good terms with him, even though she thinks he's a prick."

Jason put his hands behind his head and raised an eyebrow at her, "Your aunt doesn't sound like a bad person at all."

"I don't give her the credit she deserves. She's always been extremely busy, but she's the only one in the family that every now and then says hello and all that. She's smart and wise, just like Uncle George." She always loved and respected her uncle, he'd been her favorite relative since the day she was born as far as she was concerned. "I know that, all struggles aside, if it really came down to it…Uncle George and Aunt Diane would help me out. So maybe I shouldn't complain about them much."

Hell, her oldest cousin, though five months younger than she, was Sarah. The two were always close growing up. At family Christmas parties when they were five, they'd sing karaoke together. "Sarah's my best friend-don't tell Lindsay I said that though." Jason laughed as Trina's heart lifted up into her chest. "She's really busy with life too, so I don't talk to her as much, but whenever we're together over the holidays, she's the closest of all my relatives."

Jason turned onto his side and set his hand on her stomach, tangling his fingers around hers. "I think I'd like to meet your Aunt and Uncle, actually." She turned her eyes to his and grinned.

"Uncle George is hella protective of all us. If he knew his niece was having sex in college." She shook her head as Jason raised his eyebrows. "He wouldn't have to disapprove of you at all, he'd disapprove of us having sex."

"Any chance of him finding us?"

"He and Aunt D live in Houston with my cousins." So it was only a six to eight hour drive, not too far for them. "They don't know I'm at Midwestern, though."

"You should tell them."

"Why?"

"Maybe they'd be more approving than you think, considering you just said you don't give them enough credit." She did always ask her Uncle for advice and help. Some of the best advice he ever gave her was exactly what counselors and Jade had said.

While he would say she should try not to aggravate her grandfather, which was true that she did sometimes cause the outbursts, that she should try to go somewhere healthier. There was even a time when the man was willing to offer her a place to stay for a while.

"Maybe you're right…"

"I'm always right, Trina." He smirked at her and she rolled her eyes, quickly kissing him in gratitude. "What about your dad? I know you're saying he's stopped communicating again."

"I'm tired." How many times has she given David a chance? David and the step family have had so many chances, she had tried so many times, but it always ended the same way. "Disappointment after disappointment. I can never get him to be concerned. I want to keep trying but I give up on him."

"I suppose that's the best thing to do if they're not willing to keep trying. You can't keep hurting yourself over it." Her brow meshed together as his fingertips slid along her cheek. "Eventually you have to be able to decide and say when enough is enough. How often are you going to keep trying and expecting a different result?"

"Definition of insanity, I suppose."

"Yeah. Pretty much fits my uncle and old man to a T as well."

"But you've been saying that you still keep in touch to be cordial. So…"

"I'm pretty much done with them." He turned back onto his side and narrowed his eyes. "They hold so much power, that's why I'm stuck to them, but I'm going to find my way away from them. Now that I have you, I'm much more set on that."

"When we go back to campus…they'll still be there."

"If so, stay back and I'll get rid of them the best I can. We probably could talk about anything other than them right now."

"I know." She clasped her hands together and twiddled her thumbs. "You know, Uncle George used to work for BMC Software? He got laid off a couple years back, but he's a millionaire. Had enough money to self-retire."

"That is amazing." Jason turned onto his side and tucked his arm beneath his head, gazing at her with a compassionate look. "Sounds like someone you should keep in touch with."

"Yeah. I guess sometimes I worry about being a burden to them, but I probably really shouldn't be."

"I know I'd love to meet them. I don't think they'd find you a huge burden, Trina, give yourself a little more credit. You're putting down the woman I love." Her cheeks reddened and she turned onto her side to face him, using her own arm as a pillow. She curled her knees inwards and melted into his gaze.

"I guess they're not bad, they're just always busy. Maybe I do feel a little jealous of my cousins too, for that matter. You know they were homeschooled all their life? Sarah, Jonah and Danielle. Sarah's a lot like me though, headstrong and determined to do the best she can…"

She studied his slow growing grin and was perplexed by it. "You hear what you just said?" She paused, going over her words, and stopped on the realization that she'd described her own identity. "This mean you're starting to see more to yourself?"

"I guess. I just haven't put a whole lot of thought into it. I can be myself when I'm with you."

"Yeah, but you don't need me in order to do that. You just need to be more comfortable with yourself-and from how you've described your uncle and aunt just now, I think they'd be more than accepting of you."

"Maybe. Aunt Dee isn't really judgmental."

"Dee?"

"I call her that for short sometimes. I like it better than Diane." She took a deep breath and glanced down to her hand, resting on the grass between their bodies. She gently flicked a blade of grass and shrugged her shoulders. "They're not like Uncle John and Aunt Sonya, who I guess aren't bad either, but they really have no time for me in their lives."

"Why do you say that?"

"They are super strict, and my own grandfather told me John didn't have much faith in me. He's a former Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force. Jake and Justin are always either doing chores or homework, they get practically no time to themselves. Even still, I probably talk to them more than I talk to my dad. I see them less than Uncle George and Aunt Dee though."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I've seen them maybe once or twice a year. They have to fly out to LA to see me though, because that's also where Grandma and Grandpa live. Same goes with Uncle John and Aunt Sonya."

"So, why did you come here to Midwestern then? To be close to them?"

"This was where Uncle George and Aunt Dee went to college." Jason smiled at her and reached his arm over her and hugged her tight.

"I'm glad they had such an impact on you that you went to their Alma Mater." He smirked knowingly and Trina bowed her head with defeat. She couldn't deny his point, he was correct on all regards. Uncle George was her hero in more ways than one, and she wished more than anything to be close to him and her cousins. At the same time, she was so often nervous in regards to telling them anything about her life because while meaning well, Aunt Dee had a tendency to say the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person.

"It's hard to say I don't trust my family when I do trust Uncle George, in a way. I've always been able to call him for advice." She felt guilty now, realizing she'd lumped her favorite uncle in the same boat with everyone else.

She hadn't meant to do that, it just happened that way. There were times where the bad outweighed the good so much that she just couldn't see the good even when it was right in front of her.

"I recommend being honest with your Aunt and Uncle. Who knows, if they really are the only ones in your family that you trust…could come in handy someday. Being on good terms with them probably helps a lot more."

"I don't know what I'd do. When I finish college, I'm not sure where I'll go really. I always dreamed I'd be going to college with Sarah and that I'd live in Houston with all of them, but things are a lot different than when I was a kid, and we've really grown up. My favorite cousin of all just feels so…far away…"

"Talk to her." Jason's hand brushed along her arm, creating chills in its wake. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "Talk to your Uncle, your Aunt. Tell them how you're feeling and don't be afraid of them."

"How can I just do that?"

"Easy. You pick up the phone. Dial the number. Then talk."

"It's easier said than done. I've been so concerned about who I can trust in my own family all these years that it scares me to even think of opening up to any of them."

Jason hugged her close and she slowly curled up against his chest, comforted by his calm gesture. "There's no rush, Trina. They'll still be around for you. I'm sure of it. The way you talk about them, the way they sound-even if everyone in your family disowned you for some ungodly reason, those people don't sound like they would be a part of it." Her heart pounded in her chest, but a sense of calmness swept over her. "Give it time. Things always get better eventually."

"I hope so."

"I'm sure of it." He kissed the top of her head and she buried her face into his chest. She could fall asleep here and she would not mind.

* * *

Your thoughts


	27. The Two Faces of Erwin Sikowitz

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 27 (Two Faces of Uncle Sikowitz)

Back on the campus, they searched around to see if Sikowitz or Harold were still searching for him. They found the two men behind the Clark Student Center in the circle. Trina stayed behind the nearby brick memorial wall while Jason walked ahead to confront the two men.

Watching him was nerve-wracking because she didn't know what to expect. Jason told her to remain out of sight, and she agreed it was best on the chance the two men wouldn't have confirmation that he was seeing anyone. "Hey, Uncle." Jason approached them from behind.

The two had been looking at the large Indian statue in the yard, admiring it. When they turned around, they looked more annoyed that their silence had been interrupted. "Ah Jason, we've been looking for you!" Sikowitz stepped forward, clapping his hands together. "We have a proposition for you."

"If it involves leaving this campus, I think not." Trina saw Harold's eyes gaze at the wall and slowly drift towards her. She crept further behind the wall, feeling a sudden shiver down her spine. The man simply tipped the brim of his hat down, giving her a subtle nod and returning his attention to Jason.

_"Oh god, did he see me? What if he saw me? I need to get Jason out of here!"_ She trusted him to handle the situation, but if it got worse, she would be going out there. Her eyes focused on Sikowitz as of Jason's immediate refusal. The man's face had grown stern and his lips formed a downwards scowl.

"Jason, what his tying you down here? There is nothing for you here in the middle of nowhere."

"He has his education," Harold stated simply, "I would not see fit pulling my son away from that. He's made a name for himself too here in this community."

"But it isn't enough." Sikowitz turned and pointed a finger up at Harold. "Jason can do so much more, and I'm not going to sit by and watch my nephew waste away. I know you don't that for your son either."

"True." Harold looked at Jason and thinned his lips. "You could be so much better off, but regardless, hear your uncle's proposition."

Jason leaned to the right and crossed his arms. "Fine." Trina moved her hand towards her chest and closed her eyes, she inhaled slow in hopes of quelling her nervous beating heart. "But I'm making no promises. I wasn't exactly happy that you let three of your own students get beat up just to fulfill your own agenda."

"My students?" Sikowitz laughed and his hands flew up to his chest. "Jason that's just my job. If I hadn't failed my father, I wouldn't even be teaching a bunch of adolescents that think they're something special!"

"They seem to think you give a shit."

"Well that's all part of the job description." Trina's heart sank as she watched the man. He was circling Jason, waving his hand dismissively in the air. "I'm on good terms with the principal, I'm a respected member of the society down there-do you think I care what a couple kids think of me? The second someone would hire me to a better job, I'd take it."

"These are people who think you devote your life to helping them. You're talking about a bunch of people that depend on you."

Sikowitz stopped and lifted his head to the sky, sighing heavily. "I am simply saying there are more important things. This is not about them, I'm here to see you my dear boy."

Trina studied her phone, gazing at the recording timestamp. She'd pulled it out when Sikowitz had begun talking about the school, but she didn't know what to do with it. There wasn't any way she could just send it to someone over there without making it known that she was listening in on them.

"You're a respected member of society _there_," Jason smirked, "You're not a thriving member here. This is my town."

"Yes, though I would like to know." Sikowitz slowly reached into his robes and pulled out a long wooden stick. Trina squinted for a closer look at what she could see was a heavy walking stick. "Are you seeing someone? Is there a woman in your life right now?"

"No." He spoke without hesitation, his muscles tense and eyes narrow. Trina slowly covered her hand over her mouth, watching as Sikowitz lifted the stick. "I'm focused only on my grades and my work here. There's no woman in my life."

"Are you lying to me, boy?"

"I'm not." His response came with such skill, as though he'd spent weeks in preparation for this very moment. How many lies had he told his Uncle and his father over the years? "I've got no time for women."

"Because. You know what I dislike more than the ingrates I pretend to assuage at that school? Liars." Trina tightened her grip on her shirt collar and contemplated moving, but froze when she felt a pair of eyes on her.

Harold.

She pouted her lip out and watched as the man slowly shook his head at her, furrowing his brow. In an instant, Sikowitz delivered a swift blow to Jason's back, causing him to shout out in exclamation and all to his knees.

Trina's eyes widened as her heart skipped a beat. As Sikowitz raised the stick again, she threw herself behind the wall and covered her mouth with her hands. With each slam and every bellow Jason uttered, Trina had to fight to suppress her own cries.

Tears scorched her face like flames and her body trembled, jerking over every shout. Finally the slamming ceased and all she could hear was Jason groaning. "You see," Sikowitz bellowed angrily, "I know you've got something. You're strong, I'll give you that."

"Fuck you!"

Another strike followed Jason's outburst and Trina moved her trembling hand over her heart, whimpering softly.

"Ever since you went cavorting with that girl at camp, you've been a shifty little bastard. Talking back, thinking you could make the rules. You forget who the teacher is."

"I will never do what you want." Jason let out a pained grunt and Trina heard his body hit the floor.

"You're just lucky I have no children and you're an only child. You will come around, Jason. If there is a distraction, we'll be kind enough to remove it." Jason growled and Trina looked over her shoulder. When she poked her gaze around the wall, she saw Jason on hands and knees. Sikowitz was bent over and clutching his face in his hand. "I see that look in your eyes. You're hiding something, and we'll find it."

"I think that's enough," Harold crossed his arms and gazed down at his son. "Besides, Erwin. You said yourself, as did the woman's sister, the woman is in New Jersey." Trina moved her hand up to her mouth, stifling a whimper. Why had Harold just lied? The man _saw_ her and she knew he had. Sikowitz scowled as Jason looked up to him, panting heavily. His body trembled in the sun as a blood stain slowly enlarged along his clothing. "I'm sorry Jason, I know it hurts. You just have to see things our way, there is nothing wrong with carrying on family tradition."

"There is when it's as constricting and restrictive as yours. From this point on..." Jason spat on the ground and wiped the blood from his lips. "I am not a part of this family as far as I'm concerned."

"You will always be my son."

"If being your son means being his nephew, then you can both fuck off. I'd sooner disown the both of you." He clenched his teeth, spitting blood from his lips. Sikowitz growled and Harold extended a palm.

"Relax, Erwin. I know you're kind of leading the charge here, but we don't want to draw out too much attention." Harold knelt down beside Jason and started to place a hand on his shoulder, but backed off when his son turned away and growled vehemently. "Alright Jason. We'll leave you alone, but a decision has to be made. You still haven't heard what your uncle has to say, either."

"Whatever it is…"

"It's just a small fight, a nonprofessional boxing match that is taking place. We would like for you to participate."

"Then I am turning it down." Jason looked back at his uncle, who promptly clutched the stick. "Hit me again if you like. I can more than take it, but I don't know if you'll be able to." Sikowitz narrowed his eyes and followed Jason as he pointed to the Protho-Yeager Hall. "There are classes in the building over there that are ending in about ten minutes. People will be coming out of that building any time now. Don't forget you're in a public place."

"I swear that woman has him brainwashed," Sikowitz muttered as he returned the walking stick to its original holster beneath his robes. "Never should have sent him to that camp."

"Why not?" Jason flashed a toothy grin and tilted his head. "It was the best fucking time of my life. That, and I got a black belt in the process."

"Arrogant son of a bitch."

"Careful Uncle, you know I could take you if I wanted. I'm just sure a strong man beating up an old man in the middle of a University campus wouldn't look too good. I could get thrown out of school for a while."

Sikowitz scoffed while Harold motioned for him to leave with him. Once the men were gone, Jason dropped his head and exhaled slowly. Trina ran out to him and crouched down, throwing her arm around his shoulders. Her body continued to shake as she let her tears flow out.

It broke her heart not only to see this happen to him, but to see this whole different side to the teacher she thought was a good man. "Don't be upset Trina, I told you he was a bit crazy." Jason smirked gently and Trina buried her face into his back. "Seriously. I've never seen you this shaken…"

"Well it's rare." She wiped her tears away, struggling to breathe while examining his body. "I can't believe he did that to you."

"He's gone now."

"They might come back, though." She helped him to his feet and put his arm around her shoulders. "Let me help you."

"I can walk." She furrowed her brow as he pulled away and began moving forward. He turned around, motioning for him. "Come on, let's get out of here. I could use some Advil right about now…"

Arriving at her apartment, she guided him through the house and into the bathroom. Thankfully none of her roommates were there, she didn't want to answer a bunch of questions.

To Jason's annoyance, she stripped him down and had him sit in the bathtub where she turned the shower on him. The second the cold water hit him, he threw his hands up and cried out. "It's fucking ice!"

"It'll warm up in a minute." Trina washed her hands off in the water and watched as the blood on Jason's body slowly made its way to the drain. Her eyebrows curled in the middle when she saw the number of large, bright purple marks along him. Her voice cracked as she struggled to speak. "I'll…I'll be right back."

"Trina?" She grabbed a towel and rushed out to where the dryer was, then tossed it in. A hot towel always felt good for her when she was younger, so maybe it would soothe Jason as well.

After starting the dryer, she returned to find Jason trying to climb out of the bathtub. She swat his hand from the edge and he recoiled, looking up at her with arched eyebrows. "Stay!"

"I'm not a dog."

"That remains to be seen." She opened the mirror cabinet and grabbed a tub of IcyHot, then a tube of Neosporin. Jason looked towards her, raising an eyebrow as she grabbed some bandages, gauze, and tape.

"Jesus, it's like you've got a whole damn first aid kit in there."

"Oh there is one." She grabbed a container of rubbing alcohol and set all the items on the edge of the sink. "I may not like my stepmom all that much, but that doesn't mean I haven't learned how to treat a busted up body from her medical talks."

After a few minutes, she grabbed the towel from the dryer and turned off the water. The cold air struck Jason and he immediately started to shiver, stopping only when she threw the towel around his body. He clutched it tight and stared at her with wide eyes.

"You're not the beast, Jason." She grabbed the medical supplies and walked him into her bedroom. He moved the towel around his waist, covering himself as he sat down on the bed. "You're a very strong man with a two faced uncle and an asshole father."

"That just about sums them up."

She applied the peroxide to his open cuts and scrapes from the beatings, holding them in place despite his yelps at the burns and stings. When she pulled away, she would fan it with her hand, then apply the Neosporin.

"Thought the sight of blood made you queasy?"

"It does." She hadn't really been thinking about the blood or the beating, she just wanted to help him feel better. "But you need someone to take care of all this, and that's what I'm doing."

She applied the alcohol to another wound on his lower back, causing him to tense up and sigh. His gaze drifted over his shoulder and his lip tucked up into a smile. She met his eyes, faltering for a second while studying the compassion he had. "Trina. You are an amazing woman."

Her cheeks burned and her eyelids closed over her eyes. "Okay. Lay down." He raised an eyebrow as she pointed to the bed. "Lay down on your chest, I'm going to rub the IcyHot on your back."

"Alright." He moved onto his chest and folded his arms beneath his head. Trina straddled his hips and moved her hands along his shoulders, slowly massaging the ointment into his skin.

She held her breath while massaging him, her eyes danced along the large bruises but this time she was able to retain her anxieties. He was safe, and for the moment, that was all that mattered.

"So. Trina? Do I get a happy ending after this?" He smirked at her and she closed her eyes while slowly clasping her hands together. "Uh oh." She pushed the heel of her wrist into his right shoulder blade, massaging hard as he let out a pained grunt.

"Next time, don't piss off your uncle by telling him to fuck off."

"Well, it wasn't like he was going to kill me. I'm the only thing they've got to carry on the family name, so in a way-" He rolled over and placed his hands on her hips, causing her to fall back onto his groin. Her eyebrows rose and her gaze connected with his sly smirk. "I'm their moneymaker. Too bad I don't work for them."

She leaned forward, sliding her hand along his breastbone and gazing strongly into his eyes. "Just remember one thing about me before we get started in any kind of relationship. If it works out sometime in the future, if it ever does, I'm not letting my children into that life."

"I would never let that happen either. Say the word and I'd cut them off as soon as I can."

"I couldn't ask you to do that, and besides…they'd still find you."

"They're the last thing on my mind. Especially when it comes to you." She felt his thumb slip into the side lining of her jeans. His eyebrows rose as his lip formed a deeper, mischievous grin. With a laugh, Trina threw her hair to the other side and cupped his face in her hands while leaning down to kiss him. His grip around her tightened and she pulled her breathless lips apart from his.

"I don't think I mind that at all, Jason."

"Still up for that barbeque place for lunch tomorrow?"

"I don't have any classes."

"I'll pick you up at twelve. Babe."

"What did you just call me?" She scoffed at his teasing smirk and narrowed her eyes.

"You heard me." He leaned up and passionately kissed her lips while pulling her body into his.

She moaned into the kiss and gently swayed her hips against his. "Oh you are an ass." His teeth nipped at her lower lip and he gazed into her eyes, releasing a seductive growl.

"You love it."

* * *

So Harold saw her, and Sikowitz is a two-faced bastard. Oh if the students in his class or the school heard what he said...what are your thoughts on the chapter?


	28. Near Escapes and First Dates

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 28 (Near Escapes and First Dates)

Trina yawned as the morning sun lit up her face, she hung her arm over the bed and moaned softly, not wanting to move. Her eyelids slid open and she peered down to the arm hanging over her waist, with a smile she moved into the man currently spooning her. "Jason. Jason, wake up."

"I'm awake." She felt him kiss the back of her neck, then slowly turned around to gaze at him. What was he still doing there? She was comfortable and happy that he stayed, but there were regulations on campus that forbade anyone of the opposite sex staying in the apartment after a certain time.

She smiled gently as he brushed his fingers through her messy hair, admiring it like a child's plaything. She stretched her body, arching her chest and straining herself. "Did we fall asleep last night?" It was obvious they had. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten." She could hear voices coming from the front room. Laughter and cheering. "Lindsay and your roommates are all home, so I haven't been able to get out." Trina curled the blanket around her, watching it slip off Jason's bare shoulders. "You know, you've been doing that all night?"

"What?"

"Cocooning yourself in the blanket. It's adorable."

"It's warm."

"It left me cold." He returned with a smug grin and she rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Not only do you sleep under the air conditioner, but in case you forgot, we're not exactly dressed."

"Are you saying it's my fault you sleep naked?" She smirked back and his eyes softened. "As for last night, you're the one that started it." She moved her hand onto his chest and moved forward, pecking his lips. He hummed and moved his arms around her waist as she leaned her head back. "Would you like me to distract my roommates so you can get out?"

"Please and thank you." She had an idea about what she could do that was sure to keep her friends distracted while he escaped.

"I'm holding you responsible for any embarrassment though."

"Unless I run out in my skivvies, I don't think there will be any embarrassments on either part." He cocked a smirk and tilted his head. "How do you think the girls would react to that? Scarred, or perhaps leaving you green with envy?" Trina threw her head back and laughed.

"Oh you are bad." She threw the covers off and walked to her wardrobe where she could get some fresh clothes. She turned around to see Jason positioned like some Adonis. His head was perched up on the palm of his hand, while his outer hand was on the bed in front of his chest, slowly tapping the mattress. His eyes were on her, taking her in full admiration. "Jason. I'm getting dressed."

"If you're worried about decency _now."_

"Very funny." She slipped her arms through the bra straps, then picked up a long sleeved purple shirt. "Get dressed."

"As you wish my dear." He grabbed his shirt off the ground and frowned at the bloodstains. "Dear god, that's going to raise a few questions to my roommates." She furrowed her brow at the article of clothing.

"What do you think they'll ask? That you were in a fight?"

"There's that chance, but then again, you're not the one with the perverted roommates who will know I haven't been home all night." She covered her mouth to hide a smile while stifling a laugh.

"I have a jacket you can cover yourself up with, but that might also raise a couple more questions. It's a black leather jacket."

"That's not bad." She reached into her wardrobe and removed the coat. It was in her size, and on the front pocket was a glittery flower. On the chest flaps were small letters, but still very legible. The right said 'BFF' and the left said 'Forever'. She was amused when she saw Jason shuddering and gagging. "What the fuck is that?"

"It was a gift from my cousin."

"Sarah?"

"Yep. About three years ago." She hadn't actually worn the jacket since coming to college, and wasn't about to wear it unless she could scrape off the glittery words. She didn't want to do that because it was sentimental for her.

Lowering the jacket, she stretched out her other arm and motioned to the shirt. "Would you prefer the manly bloodstains?"

"I think I would. Until they ask if I had sex last night."

"Well, I'm no virgin. Clearly. So that option's thrown out."

"Do you have anything in my size?"

"Nope." She pulled out a black shirt and tossed it onto his legs. "But put that on and you can think of something to tell your roommate that doesn't involve informing them about us. The world doesn't need to know."

"Exactly." He raised his eyebrow at the black shirt and closed his eyes. "I hope you're not planning on getting this back in the same condition it is now."

After he got dressed, Trina went out to the living room where Lindsay, Michelle and Francine were laughing at a silly commercial. Trina caught their attention by moving past them and standing at the far wall. "Hey guys, would you like to see something?"

"Like what?" Michelle asked while wiping a laughing tear from her eye. "God you should totally see the shit they come up with these days."

"I'm glad you're all in a laughing mood, because I want to show you this one woman play I did a few years back." The women paused and turned fully towards her, staring suspiciously at her. She flashed a nervous smile and struggled to remember the play. "It wasn't really that great, but it was memorable and good for laughs. I think you'll get a kick out of it."

"Okay then," Francine folded her hands in her lap and cleared her throat. "Let's see it." Lindsay crossed her arms and tilted her head.

"Some reason you're on that side of the room?" The girl started to look over her shoulder and Trina flinched.

"Because! The view is much better here! More room." Lindsay looked back with an arched eyebrow.

As Trina performed the play, she could see Jason slowly making his way from the room, stopping behind the women to watch in amusement. He cracked a laughing smile and she immediately swept her hands for the door while repeating a line.

He made his way out and Lindsay turned her head when the door clicked, despite making a very quiet sound. "What was that?" Michelle and Francine were too focused on their wild laughter to pay any mind to the noise, but Lindsay stood up and looked around the corner to the door. "Strange. I thought I heard the door."

"And scene!" Trina slumped her shoulders and exhaled sharply while waving her arm nonchalantly through the air. "That was a woman in Chicago or wherever. Maybe Cleveland, god knows, it was an awful as hell play."

Lindsay faced her and slowly crossed her arms, studying her closely. "So Trina, what are you doing today?" She perked up and grinned.

"Got a date."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Anyone we know? Should I grill them first?"

"Please don't." She chuckled nervously as Michelle and Francine looked up to Lindsay. "It's Jason." Lindsay smiled as the two girls gushed. "We're going out at noon. I only have two hours to get ready!"

"Then start getting ready." Trina nodded and hurried to the bathroom, leaving the door open as she was only preparing to brush her teeth. Lindsay walked in after her and set a hand on her right shoulder while leaning over her left. Trina watched the mirror nervously as the girl's lip tucked into a calm smirk. "By the way. Next time, just tell us to leave the room so he can get out."

"Wh-" She lowered the toothbrush and looked back as Lindsay pulled off. "How did you?"

"I have my ways, Trina. That, and my room is right next to yours." Her blood ran cold as Lindsay walked out of the bathroom. A blush crept over her face as she turned towards the mirror. Lindsay must have gotten home shortly after doctoring Jason up.

"Huh. I'm louder than I thought, apparently. Can't help what's in my blood." She put the toothpaste on the brush and moved it up to her mouth, shrugging her shoulders in the process.

Within the next couple of hours, Trina was with Jason at a place on Kemp Blvd called the "Rib Crib" It had a spectacular vintage atmosphere with soft music playing in the background and comfortable booths. She and Jason both ordered the three meat combo with their choice of Ribs, Smoked Sausage, and Pulled Pork.

She had a side of barbeque baked beans and macaroni and cheese. Corn on the cob came with the dish as well as their French fries. Her one complaint was that the French fries weren't the best in quality, but the rest of the food was outstanding.

Trina watched Jason chew his food slowly as though contemplating. "I thought you've been here before?"

"I have, I just haven't really tried their pulled pork before. It's good." He swallowed the bite. Trina studied his clean shirt and smiled at how it wrapped around his body as though it were too tight for him. He glanced down and chuckled nervously. "This is my roommate's shirt."

"What happened to all yours?"

"Apparently there was a 'mishap' in my room last night." She coughed on her bite of food and pulled her napkin to her mouth as he shook his head. "My roommates thought I was asleep and decided to prank me by taking this bucket of water and cream, then pouring it on my bed."

"You were with me last night."

"Yep."

"So what was on the bed?"

"The pile of clothes waiting to be put away. I just got done with the laundry earlier." She chuckled softly and curled her finger over her mouth.

"So what did the roommates say when you got home?"

"Well they weren't there when I arrived. So I had time to get rid of the bloody shirt. They got there and saw how pissed I was that all my clothes were in need of another wash-so Michael went to grab one of his shirts."

"They didn't say anything about where you were last night?"

"No, they were a little distracted by my irritation with them. What about you?"

"Not so lucky. Lindsay got home while we were making love last night, she heard everything."

He stabbed a portion of his food and flicked his eyes up while curling a smirk. "At least that play of yours was fun to see." Trina smacked his wrist and huffed.

"I hated that play. I did such a good job on it the first time, thought it was worth something when I knew I was kidding myself. Robbie went ahead and told everyone it was a comedy instead of just telling me that it was shit so I could try and make it better."

"I'm sorry for laughing then."

"Oh don't, I suppose it was better as a comedy anyway." She spooned her mac and cheese and brought it to her lips. This was nicer than she anticipated it would be, her first real date with him and nothing was going to ruin it. "You know, I think it's been a long time since I've been on a date. The last guy was Randall, and he was shittier than that play."

"I'm glad to see I'm not on your shit list, so I must be doing something right."

"Don't mistake, I'm still mad you used Cat to try and find me." He raised an eyebrow and lightly tapped the plate with his fork.

"Really? You still care about that?"

Not entirely, especially since she knew he was with her and never had that redhead bombshell. Not to mention, her stepsister would never have him either. Unlike Danny and Randall. "Not as much as I'm thrilled Tori will never have you."

"And why would I ever see anything in your sister?"

"Because she dated the last two guys I did. Not to mention Danny dated Cat. It was weird."

"Apparently." He reached over to her hand resting on the napkin beside her plate. Her eyes drifted over as he took her hand in his and held it tight. "I promise you, you are the only woman for me." Her eyes drifted to his and her heart skipped a beat. She squeezed his hand in return and held onto it as she continued her meal.

* * *

Looks like the morning cuddling went well, and the date was nice, what are your thoughts?


	29. The Friend, and the Cousin

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 29 (The Friend, The Cousin)

"Any reason Sikowitz seems out of it lately?" Jade asked conversing with Trina over Skype. The girl was sitting with Beck on a brown couch, he had his arm around her shoulder and was looking off into the distance. Trina was on the couch in her apartment, holding the laptop on her lap and positioning her hands behind her head. "He went to Texas for the weekend and came back a little grumpy."

"He and his nephew had a falling out," Trina shrugged as Jade shook her head. She was tempted to tell Jade all that Sikowitz had said of her class but was uncertain how to bring it up. What good would it do?"

"He's always weird," Beck glanced back at the computer and crinkled his nose. "You remember the night everyone was at his house? I stayed in character the whole time without breaking because I thought he was up to no good. Heard him muttering something about teaching Tori's sister a lesson. Thought it was strange so I stuck around until Tori left." He shrugged and Trina furrowed her brow.

She wasn't going to ask what Sikowitz had against her, for the obvious reason that she knew. Had he intended on doing something to Tori back then, though? "Well I guess that part's over anyway. Still haven't heard from her-or dad."

"I'm sorry," Jade folded her arms and looked up to Beck. "Beck's also been dealing with family issues." Beck narrowed his eyes and shot a glare at Jade.

"It's nothing. Except Dad told me a little more about my mom, I'm a little upset over it." Trina was curious, but she wasn't comfortable asking him to elaborate. Though judging by the look on his face, he seemed to already be involved. "Mom was some prostitute that died in childbirth, and my dad isn't biological. It's the other issue that I'm not going to do anything about."

"Beck has a theory about his real dad." Jade pat Beck on the chest and whispered for him to tell her. He looked puzzled as to why it mattered. "It's important." Trina cocked her head to the right and Beck bowed his head.

"Nine months before I was born, mom was getting out of that life and had one last client she saw. A teacher with a leg brace he'd been using for a couple years." A tightness overcame Trina's chest as her eyes began to widen. "Dad made a statement about it being Mr. Sikowitz, but I don't really believe it. Even if there were truth to it, I don't care. I'm not bringing it up with the guy, that's for sure."

"Don't!" Trina warned, much to Beck's surprise. She lifted her finger and spoke sternly into the camera. "Whatever you do, do not tell Mr. Sikowitz your suspicion." If there was a grain of truth to it, any at all, it could lead to a number of problems. Not only would Sikowitz have someone else to try and force, but Jason would no longer be the only relative left to carry the name, they could 'dispose' of him just as easily if there were someone else. "If there's a grain of truth in it at all, it could be devastating."

"Not that I care, but why?"

Jade released her breath and scooted away from Beck to turn towards him. "Jason's been having some issues with his uncle. I can't elaborate out of respect for him and for Trina, and she hasn't told me much…"

"First off, Jason and I are together." Beck's eyebrows rose and Jade grinned. "We've actually started dating for real even, Jade." The girl's eyes brightened and Trina lowered her arms down to the computer. "His Uncle and dad want a certain life for him and are hell-bound to get him to do what their plan is for him. He doesn't want anything to do with their goals and interference in his life. There are certain things they can't, or won't do because he's the only one in his generation. "

"What do you mean by 'can't' do?" A wrinkle formed between Beck's eyebrows as he removed his hand from behind Jade and slanted his eyes. "Something illegal?" Jade's jaw fell open and Trina shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe. They scare me. Sikowitz is much different than what you guys see in the classroom. I've seen him twice on campus and both times he scares me."

"Like what?"

"Like I heard him say he was going to 'remove the distraction' from Jason's life."

"So?"

She pointed to herself while the couple gazed in shock. "That's me. I'm the distraction. At least that's what Sikowitz thinks because that was me a couple years ago." She took a deep breath and lowered her hand to her leg, tapping it gently with her finger. "I met Jason at that martial arts camp, he was this massive egotistical fighter who thought he was better than everyone else. His uncle and father wanted him to be the best…" She let her eyes dart to the side and swayed in that direct. "I might have changed his opinion."

Beck shook his hands in front of the screen and raised an eyebrow, "Are you telling me you and Jason were an item in the past?"

"Yes. We were lovers. He promised to find me after camp, ran into you guys at that sleepover thing with his uncle and used Cat to try and find my place because he had no other ways of finding me."

"That's putting a long story short," Jade replied grimly. "They didn't find each other, Jason got shoved off like the very next day. By chance, they found each other at that college." Beck made a contemplative hum and looked towards Trina.

"Does anyone else know about you two? Like, within your family?"

"Nope. I think Aunt Dee knows a little, I told her about my connection to him and she said I should give him a chance. As for Dad, he might have some idea but we haven't discussed it. Tori and Holly, I don't care about their opinion."

"Why not?"

"They choose not to be involved in my life, I choose not to involve them. I'll involve them when they want to be a part of my life and not just little flashes every now and then."

"I don't understand, there's nothing wrong with your sister."

"Beck," Jade warned, "You don't know the situation." Trina rolled her eyes and shook her head. It really was hard to talk to Jade with this guy around, and she didn't want to spill her entire family problems out to him, but now she felt like she had to explain in some detail.

"First off Beck, she's my stepsister who can't be bothered to talk to me even when I try to instigate conversation. She will not acknowledge me, anything I say or do-especially on facebook-she goes running off to Holly about, who promptly yells at me. Then my dad starts ignoring me and anytime I voice my opinion, Holly and Tori tell me I should suck it up and deal with it. I've given them chance after chance to try and have a relationship with me, and they've shown me time and time again where their loyalty is. Simple as that."

"Alright, I get it. No worries." Beck leaned back slowly. "So, does Sikowitz know you're there?"

"No. If he did, he'd take Jason away. I'm not going to let that happen. Neither does my family, and I'm not about to let them find out."

"I can understand that. So, Jason…what happened when Tori went home? I assume she told you about him."

"She did." Trina remembered Tori rushing home in a bit of a fuss over having missed out on some hot guy. She informed Trina about Sikowitz's nephew, to which Trina recognized Jason, then went on to say something about Cat taking him off. "I didn't say anything."

"You probably could have."

"Well it might have started something with her for all I know."

"Possible." Trina's cell began to ring and she immediately reached over to her purse beside her. When she pulled her phone out, she was surprised to see it was Sarah calling.

"Oh, guys it's Sarah. I have to take this."

"All right, enjoy. We have to get to a date anyway."

"Okay." She waved at them and smiled as the video screen flashed off. Closing her laptop, she answered the phone and moved it to her ear. "Sarah, you called?"

"Hey, how are you doing!" Sarah's tune was pleasant and relaxed. "I had some time and thought I should give you a call. How are you liking New York?"

"New York?" She paused and bowed her head, she'd forgotten that she never told her family where she actually was. "I um have to be honest, I'm not there. I'm at Midwestern." Her cousin took a long pause and Trina's heart began to pound. "Sarah?"

"Sorry, Danielle was asking something. You're at Midwestern? In Wichita Falls? Why are you there?"

"Between me and you…to get away from Dad." She took a deep breath and pushed her laptop on the cushion beside her. It had been heating her legs up and she was already uncomfortable. "They don't know yet."

"Well, he's not exactly the brightest, I guess. Are you planning on telling them? I don't think you should keep it from them."

"I will, but I'm a little nervous. Holly wanted me to go to her alma mater and study medicine."

"But you don't want that?"

"Of course not. It makes me sick." She moved her hand behind her head and gazed up at the ceiling, absently tracing small figures in the dots. "So, you're at Houston Baptist University? How's HBU?"

"It's great here, you know I think you'd enjoy it."

"Probably."

"Mom said you found an old boyfriend. Is that true?"

"It is." Her lips curved up and she closed her eyes, delighting in remembering the feel of his touch on her skin. "He's a good man. We're pretty serious, Sarah."

"Oh?" She heard a clinking noise, followed by the sound of a cupboard door closing. "Are you using protection?" Her cheeks flared up and her eyes darted towards her lap. Her cousin picked up on her hesitancy and remarked with a semi-scolding tone. "Trina, you need to remember protection! What happens if you get pregnant, you're in the middle of nowhere and you don't think your family would help you."

"I don't. To be honest, you guys are probably the only ones in my entire family I think I could count on."

"I'm sure that's not true. I know grandpa can be a little harsh, and Uncle David is-" Trina meshed her eyebrows together as Sarah clicked her tongue. "Okay yeah, I don't know what to tell you."

"I'm doing the best I can with what I've got. At least they haven't disowned me yet."

"I'm sure they won't do that."

"Don't be so sure, Holly's not vying for mother of the year right now."

As the conversation carried, Trina explained all that had been going on lately with not just her family but also with Jason. Sarah expressed great concern, and tried to give some advice.

"Okay honestly, I'm not going to tell you to cut them off but I will say if you think you're better off without them in your life, you might be. I know it's not healthy to be stuck with people who don't treat you like a member of the family."

"Yeah."

"As for Jason and his family, just be careful. You can say you trust him, and that's great, but I would be concerned about that uncle and father of his."

"I am."

"Trina, you know you can always talk to me whenever you need to, right? Don't worry about calling." Trina so often shied away from calling her extended relatives because she always thought they were too busy to be bothered with her. Perhaps she wwas wrong.

"I never like to bother any of you, you always seem busy."

"Well, you know how it is. Mom does a lot of help at the church and runs the homeschool committee with Dad, so she's always busy with something. There's a lot of homework at HBU, so I'm busy, but never think we don't have time to chat. If you ever call us and need to talk, you know we're going to try our best, right?"

"Yeah…Yeah, I do." Her heart lifted up and her smile grew. "It's always good to hear from you, Sarah."

"Love you, Cousin."

"You too."

"Now you be careful with that boyfriend, and remember protection." She laughed nervously and nodded, certain Sarah would be calling just to make sure she remembered. "Last thing you want right now is to end up pregnant." There was a lot of truth in that, especially when it came to Jason's family. She was honestly afraid how they'd react to him getting any woman pregnant.

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Yeah another reminder, Trina won't get pregnant unless it's at the very bitter end of the story. I just don't want to go that route. Hope you liked this chapter


	30. His Promise

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 30 (His Promise)

"What are you doing?" Trina laughed at Jason standing in the doorway, he had an awkward expression and was holding in his hands a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates.

"Lindsay said I needed to start buying this stuff for you…" He glanced at the box of chocolates and lifted his eyebrows. "I don't know if you like coconut, but if you don't, I'll eat whatever coconuts there are." She chuckled and carefully removed the box from his right arm.

"The idea when buying your girlfriend candy is that she's going to eat the pieces, usually without you." She'd give him the coconut anyway since she hated the flavor. She walked towards the counter and set the box down, Jason followed in after her. "I don't have a vase for the flowers, so I don't know what to tell you." Her hands moved to her hips as he looked towards the roses. "I'm not big on flowers, though."

"Oh. Well, it seemed the right thing to do."

"It's sweet." She took the flowers and leaned over, kissing his cheek. "I've never had a guy buy me flowers and chocolate before. Thank you." This was a great side of him to see, so she was more than appreciative of him. At the same time, she didn't expect him to do this often since it didn't seem his style. "I like that you're trying to be romantic."

"Yeah, and I'm not romantic by any means." Jason put his hand on her shoulder and walked around her to stand on the other side as she opened the box of chocolates. She flicked her gaze to him and smiled as his intense gaze studied the chocolates as though they were a new fascination. "Let me know how they are and if you like them."

"Here, Jason." She grabbed one of the pieces and popped it in his mouth. He jerked his head back and chewed slowly, squinting one eye and glancing off in the distance. "You act like you don't eat a lot of chocolate."

"I try to avoid chocolates." He swallowed the bite and closed his eyes. "Almond?"

"Let's see." She glanced at the empty square and nodded as she read the name of the chocolate. "Yes, almond nougat." She would have to hide this box before her roommates found it, otherwise she'd have to share. "If my roommates see this they're going to eat it all. So, I'm going to put it up."

She grabbed a piece of maple fudge and closed the box up. Jason stepped back and Trina carried the box to her bedroom. When she returned, she saw him holding onto the flowers once more and studying them with an intricate gaze. He moved one of the roses to his nose and crinkled his face while pulling away.

"Looks like you're not a flower person either." She grabbed a vase from Lindsay's room and walked into the kitchen. "I'll use this until I can find one of my own." It was a tall bottleneck vase with a large bulb on the bottom and it opened up with a petal design.

"Like I said, I'm just not a romantic person. I don't have a romantic bone in my body." She pushed the flowers into the vase and adjusted them so they spread out more. Jason slid his elbow onto the counter and leaned against it while studying the vase. "Yet you're attracted to me. I'm the most romantically stupid person." He laughed and Trina rolled her eyes, curling a smile at him.

"It's an acquired taste. If that's the appropriate use of terminology." She turned around and slid her fingers onto her waist, tapping her belt and meeting his gaze. "So, who else has been giving you 'romance advice'? Not that I think you need it."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Just about everybody. My roommates know I'm dating someone, the people at the club of course know we're together by now. Obviously your roommates…I didn't even think we were taking suggestions!"

"We're not. Sheesh, start dating and all of a sudden everyone wants to be involved." She lowered her arms and walked with him to the door. "A relationship is between two people, not a mass."

"Yeah."

"So where are we going?"

"Just a small place I thought you might enjoy." She nodded and followed him to his motorcycle, partially wishing he had an actual car. It was likely that he did.

"Out of curiosity, do you own a car?"

"Yes, but I keep it at mom's cabin. It's a black pickup, Nissan Titan." Her eyebrows rose as she hopped onto the bike. She wanted to see this truck of his, especially since those particular ones were so large.

"Seriously. Is everything you have large?"

"The larger the better." He smirked at her. Trina pushed her arms around his waist and rolled her eyes.

After several minutes they pulled up to a park. He guided her to a small clearing where they were surrounded by bushes and trees. To her astonishment, in the center was a large white blanket with a couple bags of sandwiches, chips and drinks. On the edge was a small stereo.

"What is this, Jason?"

"Something I paid my roommates twenty bucks to set up."

She laughed as he took her hand and walked her over to the blanket. She saw him look over his shoulder and kick the stereo, hitting the play button. A soft, classical melody drifted to her ears. Her body relaxed as Jason moved his left hand to her waist and gazed warmly into her eyes. "Would you like to dance?"

"And where did this come from?" She moved close to him, holding his hand with hers and moving her free hand to his shoulder.

"The whole idea came from something I saw on a television show, then your roommates gave me some tips on the dancing." Her heart pulled towards him and a small tear broke from her eyes as she moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders while he moved his other arm around her waist.

He led the dance, swaying to the right, then turning and taking a couple more slow steps before turning once again. "You lied."

"Oh?"

"You said you weren't romantic."

"I'm not, this is a roll for me." She chuckled softly and set her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as the took gentle, tiny sways. Everything around them faded and the moment became like a dream, threatened by nothing. The only people to come between were states away as far as she was concerned.

His heartbeat could be felt in the tune of hers, coming together as one. The scent of cologne drifted into her nostrils, soothing her. She curled her fingers into her palms, grasping a hold of his shirt.

"This is…nice." She spoke softly, humming her words. His hands moved up her back and his fingers twisted in her hair. Trina moved her head back and looked up into his eyes, melting away the moment he gave her a smile. "It feels good to just slow down and relax with you."

"Yeah, I think so too." The sky above them was turning orange with the brilliant sunset and the music in the air created a blissful atmosphere. "I love you. Time and time again I'll say that, and I'll never tire of it."

"I can't tire of hearing it. Did you hear that off a television show?"

"Nope. That's a Jason Tyler Sikowitz original."

She laughed softly and rose on her toes, reaching to kiss his lips. His arms squeezed gently on her waist and he kissed back in response. As she slowly pulled back, her eyes remained closed and her hands cupped his shoulders. She exhaled slowly and pushed open her eyes, stopping them halfway.

Trina wanted this moment to go on forever and prayed that he would always remain with her. It terrified her to think of ever losing him at this point, or to think of him going away. She furrowed her brow and tucked her lower lip beneath her teeth. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just…" She quickly swept away a stray tear and brought her head back to rest on his shoulder. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest. "Jason?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't ever leave me."

He kissed the top of her head and gently rubbed her back, speaking with a soft voice. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"I can't lose you. Not again." He raised an eyebrow as she closed her eyes and tightened her arms around his neck. She buried her face into his shoulder and took a deep breath. "I know. I said it was just sex, and I know that a lot of times it seemed and felt like lust, but-"

"I understand, Trina."

"I never stopped being in love with you, never stopped wanting to be with you. I do a lot of lying to myself, and that just…it complicates things." She moved her head back, gazing at him and smiling as her tears slid along her cheeks. "Just don't leave me, don't hurt me." As much as she hated to be emotional, she couldn't stop their flow. Jason reached up and gently swept them away with his thumb.

"I will never leave you, and I would never do anything to hurt you. What is bringing this on?"

"I don't know…" She turned her eyes to the sandwiches and cleared her throat. "I think the sandwiches are going to get cold."

"You getting hungry?"

"Yes."

"Okay." They separated, but Jason held onto her hands, causing her gaze to flicker up to him once more. "Trina. I promise you, I will never leave you. Where you go, I go. We're a team." Her heart skipped a beat and her lips turned up into a tiny smile. "You're the only woman for me, from now until eternity. I don't want anyone else. You make me who I am, you make me a better person, and I couldn't love you less even if I wanted."

"Me too." She immediately scolded herself for not having something better to say, but her breathing was shaky and her mind wasn't processing the way she wanted it to.

"I'm never going to leave you and I'm not going to let anything tear us apart. Uncle Erwin and dad can _try_ to drive a wedge between us, but that's the extent of what they can do. I'm no fighter and I'll never step foot in the ring for anything, but there is one thing I will fight for, and that's you. I'll never stop fighting for you."

She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight as her heart's pounding grew louder. Her body trembled as he hugged her in return. "I love you, Jason…"

They sat down on the blanket and Trina picked up the sandwich, it was a subway sandwich. Italian BMT. "Subway, huh?" She rubbed her chin and glanced over to see what he had. It was the Steak and Cheese. "My favorite, but I'm surprised."

"What about? That I didn't make the sandwiches myself?"

"Somewhat, but I'm grateful anyway. There's no one I'd rather be doing this with."

"Same here."

"Even _Cat?"_ She smirked teasingly and he rolled his eyes at her, smiling as he took a bite.

"She's too fussy and high strung for me anyway. I'd rather someone high maintenance over someone high strung." He smirked back and she flinched, scoffing at him.

"I am not high maintenance."

"So the Chanel bag you carry around isn't yours?"

"No fair, I got that _years_ ago. It was a Christmas gift. From Aunt Dee." She closed her eyes and bit into her sandwich, chewing slowly. Jason laughed and Trina's eyelids slid open halfway.

Her lips curled upwards as she watched him eat. He was sitting cross-legged and holding the sandwich like one would the end of a baseball bat. His handsome gaze fixated on her and his eyebrow rose with curiosity. She simply shook her head, her smile deepening. Jason shrugged and went back to his food.

She never expected this to happen, for him to take her entire world by storm the way he had. For him to say she was the one that made him a better person, she couldn't be more ecstatic, but he didn't realize that she felt the same way. Without him in her life, she wasn't as happy or able to be herself the way she could now.

There was a quote she once read somewhere that read as such; "Mature love isn't saying you need someone because you love them, but you love them because you need them." From what Trina could tell, this was a man she needed in her life. He was the better half of the two of them, but that was at least in her mind.

"Finish up before your sandwich gets cold," He said while scarfing down the final bite. Trina blinked several times and looked down to the half-eaten sandwich in her hands.

"I'm just a slow eater." He leaned back, stabilizing himself with his palms on the ground behind him. She could feel his eyes on her, watching as she took a bite. When she glanced up, she could see a compassionate and gentle gaze. The wind tossed his hair around and his lips where tucked into a very tiny, handsome smile.

She inhaled slowly and took another bite. There was no problem with his gazing at her as far as she could feel. No words needed to be exchanged here, she understood him without all the frills, but the things he said made her feel just as good as the looks he gave her. All he had to do was look at her and she felt like she meant something to someone.

* * *

I'd say this was a nice chapter. They had a good time it seems like, well deserved. Your thoughts?


	31. Sweet Serenade

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: I had a conflict coming up that has a time gap, I don't like time gaps and feel like the story's being rushed by doing that so I'm correcting that by also showing more of their time on Midwestern as well as growth as a couple. That way not only will the story not feel rushed, their relationship won't either.

* * *

Chapter 31 (Sweet Serenade)

They pulled up in front of the Buffalo wild wings next to the Sikes Senter Mall. Trina scrunched her nose as she followed Jason into the sports bar. "You'll love this place. It isn't game night, so it isn't so busy."

"A sports bar, Jason? Really? This is where you want to spend our date?"

"Not for that, but for the wings. You're always saying how you like spicy food and the wings here have a bunch of different sauces to choose from. Some mild, some spicy as hell." Trina's stomach growled as she imagined herself chowing down on one these hot wings.

He held the door open for her and she entered with a sense of nervousness. She let Jason talk to the host while she took a larger account of her surroundings. The place was surprisingly quiet, but this was a time of day when not many people were going to be out and about. "When I said take me around the town, this was not what I had in mind."

"We can go elsewhere if you like."

"No, this is fine." She didn't want to go anywhere else. Having put forth some thought to the wings, she honestly wanted to try them. The booth they sat at was comfortable and the small yellow menu was appealing. Her gaze drifted to the a nearby sign and her heart stalled upon reading it. "Karaoke…they have karaoke here?"

Jason opened his menu and lifted his shoulders. "Yeah it's strange. There aren't many of these restaurants that have it. I never pay any mind to it."

"You never sang some karaoke?" She gave him a smug grin and watched his gaze avert from hers. "I'm sure you turned to music for therapy at least once. I know that's what I do."

He cleared his throat. "Nope." Trina folded her forearms on top of her menu and studied him with a knowing smirk. His eyes held a nervousness to them and his cheeks were red. Her hear skipped a beat when his eyes made contact with hers. "What?"

"I don't believe you for a minute."

"I can't sing."

"Neither can I, but if that stopped everyone, then karaoke places would shut down." A waiter walked to the table, he had a blonde crew cut and a skinny appearance. His eyes lit up with recognition at Jason, who sank further into his chair.

"Jason Tyler, how are you?" The server asked. Trina leaned forward, smirking widely. Her eyebrow rose as Jason waved awkwardly at the man. "It's been some time since we've seen you around here, will you be having your usual?"

"Yes…"

"Alright, so that's ten piece wings with Carribean Jerk and Lemon Pepper sauce?"

"Yes."

"I'll have what he's having," Trina remarked. She didn't know what to order, but the wings sounded good to her. The server nodded and pointed to the menu.

"There is an option for twenty, you could simply order twenty boneless and save your money."

"Then we'll do that," Jason replied.

"Alright." The man scribbled on his notepad and glanced at Trina. "So, who is beautiful lady of yours?" Trina blushed and Jason gazed lovingly at her.

"My girlfriend."

The waiter's mouth turned to an oval and he grinned at Jason. "Is she the same woman you're always singing about?" Trina curved her lips into a smirk and rubbed her finger along her chin as Jason moved his hand up to his forehead.

"Goddamn it Walter."

Trina flicked her eyes up to Walter. She swept her hair back over her shoulder and leaned forward. "What songs does he sing about me?"

Walter pushed the notepad in his pocket and smiled politely at her. "All those sad lost love, eternally faithful type songs. A popular one is Maroon 5 'she will be loved'." Jason sighed heavily. Trina's heart skipped and her eyes lit up with joy and intrigue.

"Walter. Please stop talking and go do our order. Please?"

Trina laughed as Jason's shoulders fell and his face turned a deeper shade of crimson. "Walter, tell the karaoke person to set up! I want to hear my boyfriend sing." Jason's eyes widened and he waved his hands through the air.

"No. No you don't. I don't sing, I can't sing. I'm a terrible singer."

"Not when you sing the slower songs," Walter stated surely. "Higher pitched and pacy songs you tend to have a bad pitch but the other ones not so much." Trina was getting more interested by the second and she honestly wanted the chance to hear him sing.

"I'll sing for you, Jason. If you sing." Jason raised an eyebrow and shrugged as Walter walked off with their order. The server stopped and called out that he'd bring them their water in a second. Trina glanced to the beer menu and picked it up. "Jason, do you ever drink?"

"When I go to a nice place, maybe, I usually have a tall glass of Killian's Irish here, but only one. I decided not to have a drink tonight because I know you're still underage." He smirked and Trina set the menu down, scoffing playfully.

"You are almost a year older than I am, so shut up." She tapped her fingernailsa on the table and smacked her lips. "Besides, if I wanted, I'd just take a sip of your beer."

"You've drank?"

"Of course. I think we both know I'm not the innocent little girl-that would be my stepsister." Jason laughed as Trina returned her menu to the small stand on the edge of the table.

"I think I prefer it that way." She shot him a seductive grin and leaned forward while rolling her arms inwards to pop her chest out.

"I know you do." Jason's eyebrow lifted up as his eyes dipped slightly. "Eyes up, Jason…" She smirked with pride as his gaze snapped back to hers.

"You are an evil tease. I hope you know that."

"I do. Proud of it too."

"What would your Uncle say?"

"He'd order your eyes away and tear you from the table instantly. His sweet adorable niece wouldn't be held responsible for anything that might happen." Jason laughed once more and shook his head. His eyes locked with hers and his head tilted slightly towards the right. She could feel her cheeks beginning to burn and her body being pulled towards him. "What are you looking at?"

"The most beautiful person in this room."

"You've already got me…you're going to keep courting me?"

"I'll never stop."

Her cheeks flared up some more and her eyes drifted to the nearby speaker and microphone setup on a raised stage. "So…" She folded her purse flap beside her and turned her eyes towards it. "You've sang sad love songs, never gave up hope in seeing me again?"

"I was going to find a way. I knew I'd see you again, there was never any doubt about that. Even if it meant getting my degree first, I was going to find you." She smiled widely as Jason turned his gaze to the karaoke leader. With a heavy sigh, he stood up and leaned over the table, kissing the corner of her lips.

Her heart slammed forward and she leaned towards the kiss, smiling as he told her he loved her. She put her hand to her chest and watched him move onto the stage. He whispered something to the karaoke leader.

Trina's eyebrows lifted as the lady on the stage leaned into the mic. "Alright, here for you today after several months is Jason Tyler to seranade the bar and diners one more time!" Jason rolled his eyes and Trina grinned. "First up he'll be singing a song by Jason Mraz."

"Way to try and tell a terrible singer he's good, Darcy." Jason took the microphone and gazed at Trina with laughing eyes that slowly turned to endearment. "Just start the song, please. My girlfriend wants to hear me sing, so that's what I'll do."

As the music began to play, Trina held his gaze and let the entire world fade away as his voice began to enchant her. "When I look into your eyes, it's like watching the night sky, or a beautiful sunrise…there's so much they hold." He closed his eyes. Trina's heart swelled and her lips curved upwards. "And just like them old stars, I see that you've come so far. To be right where you are, how old is your soul?" His eyes opened halfway and he stepped down on the first stage, pulling the microphone from its stand. "Well I won't give up on us, even if the skies get rough, I'm giving you all my love. I'm still looking up."

She held her breath, the air around her started to heat up as he seemed to move closer to her with each line. "And when you're needing your space to do some navigating, I'll be here patiently waiting to see what you find." He stopped midway to her and raised his pitch, and it was off, but this didn't matter one bit to her. "Cause even the stars they burn, some even fall to the earth. We've got a lot…to learn. God knows we're worth it. No, I won't give up."

Trina moved her hand to her chest, her eyes became hazy and a single tear fell from the corners. "I don't wanna be someone who walks away some easily. I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make. Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use the tools and gifts we got, yeah, we got a lot at stake. And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend for us to work. We didn't break, we didn't burn. We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in. I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not, and who I am."

Trina wiped her eyes and felt something beside her. She glanced down to see the wings they ordered as well as the glass of water. She cleared her breath and started to reach, but stopped as Jason's hand caressed her chin. She moved with his gentle tug and turned her eyes up to his, letting him steal away her breath and her heart once more.

"I won't give up on us. Even if the skies get rough, I'm giving you all my love. I'm still looking up. I won't give up on us, God knows I'm tough enough. We've got a lot to learn, God knows we're worth it." His shoulders fell with his exhale and his strong, compassionate gaze kept hers locked in. She moved towards him, the entire room faded away entirely, as though they were the only two people left in existence. "Would you like some Frank Sinatra?"

"N-No." She stumbled over herself and shook her head. "That was…beautiful. I-you…" Her voice softened and her hand reached up to caress his right cheek. "I love you. That song-you choose that song, of all songs, to serenade me with?"

"Devoted to the only woman crazy enough to give me the time of day." He leaned down and kissed her lips. Instinctively she moved her arms around his neck and held him close. He pulled his head back and gazed into her eyes for several seconds. "I need to give this microphone back to Darcy."

"Okay."

When he returned, she was able to regain some of her composure and recover from his having gotten up to sing. She was hardly expecting it. "You know, I wasn't being serious when I said you should go up there and sing." Jason smiled at her and shrugged.

"You ask, you receive. Besides, I felt like it." His hand reached over to hers and embraced it. Her eyes flicked up to his and shivers ran down her wrist as he gently circled his thumb against her palm. "How do you like the wings?"

"Haven't tried them."

"Go for it."

"I don't know which to try first. The lemon pepper or the caribbean." She wiped her fingers across her cheeks and let out a heavy sigh. As much as she didn't want to admit to it, the song made her emotional, especially since it seemed to go so well with their current situations. "Damn. You had to go up there and get me all emotional, you know I hate that."

He took her other hand and lifted them up to hold them between his hands. Her heartbeat increased as he gently kissed her fingertips. "It only makes me love you more."

She pulled her hand away and grabbed her fork, stabbing the caribbean sauced wing and lifting it up to Jason's lips. He pulled back slightly, then opened her mouth so she could push the food inside. "How is it?" Jason swallowed and nodded.

"Try that one first." He then mimicked her move, gently pressing the wing against her pink lips. She slid them apart and nipped the edge of the wing with her teeth.

The spiciness tantalized her and she chewed slowly, savoring it. Catching him watching, Trina immediately swallowed the bite and took a sip of the water. "It's amazing." She hastily moved over to his booth and cuddled up beside him. He brightened when her head touched down on his shoudler.

His arm draped around her waist and he kissed the top of her head. Her legs curled up onto the seat benath her and she watched the two buckets of wings. Jason grabbed one of the lemon pepper between his fingers and brought it to her. She ate it quickly and hummed as the flavor enticed her just as well as the last.

"How do you feel about this place now? Good date place?"

"Yeah." She snuggled closer to him and shut her eyes. "It's perfect."

"Told you you'd love it."

* * *

Based off the real deal, beside the mall this BWW is the only one I've seen to have a karaoke bar. My friend and I discovered that song right there is perfect for the couple. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	32. The Mall Couple

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 32 (The Mall Couple)

"Don't you hate the mall?" Trina smirked at her complaining boyfriend while dragging him into the Sikes Center Mall. Yes she hated the mall, but she wanted to have the experience of dragging her boyfriend to the mall like so many women did. "Must you torture me? Don't you love me?" He pouted his lip and Trina did a double take before laughing.

"That's my move!"

Jason smirked in response and lifted his shoulders. "And who else could pull it off so well?" Upon entering, they passed by the small mall theater. Trina was amazed by its size, she expected a much bigger mall, but this one was small and easier to navigate. "There's a little shop I think I'll wait at while you shop around." She rolled her eyes and spun around.

"And where is this shop?" He slouched and stuffed his hands in his pockets. His response came in the most pitiful, defeated-boyfriend style possible.

"Spencer's…" She stifled a laugh and covered her mouth with her hand. Spencer's was the ultimate guy shop where they could find many sexual toys involving women's breasts. Though there were many other things besides that, but it was this that stood out to her. That, and strange dildos as well as suckers-it was not a place to bring children. "I'm judging by your reaction that it isn't going to happen."

"I couldn't possibly traverse the mall without my trusted escort." She put her arm through his and he sighed heavily. It was going to be great fun to see how he reacted to passing by, or stopping at a women's clothing store. "Better hope for your sake they don't have Victoria's Secret here."

His eyes grew into saucers and he let out a whimper as she pulled him with her. Tearing the boyfriend through the mall was something Tori would be more apt to do, but so many did it that she had to. "This is _your_ idea of a date? I thought you liked Buffalo Wild Wings last night."

"I did. Besides, Lindsay has been telling me I should visit this mall."

"Really? Great."

Trina turned around once more and took his hands. Her eyes turned up to his and she slowly pouted her lower lip. "Please do this for me?" She scrunched her forehead, meshing her brows together as she squinted her eyes. Her lip began to quiver and Jason groaned.

"Fine."

She tore away the pout and flashed a bright grin. "Great!" He smiled at her and shook his head as she began to walk on ahead of him. After several paces, she stopped and looked back. He was watching her and had his hands to his waist. "Are you coming?"

"Yes. Just don't think you're getting a hold of my credit card."

"You should never tempt a girlfriend, Jason." She wasn't going to make him buy anything, especially since she wasn't planning on making any purchases. Eventually he'd figure out what she was doing, if he hadn't already. If he played along with her, she might reward him. "If you want to go to Spencer's we will-do you think they have K-Y Jelly there?"

"K…Y…" He raised an eyebrow and followed her as she moved along the aisle. "I don't think I've ever looked enough to know." He was genuine, not that she questioned it. It was the smart answer because a yes implied he knew, and a no did the same which could imply he looked. "They do have other things I'm sure, but they're not technically a sex shop. I don't even know if we have one of those in Wichita Falls."

"You've honestly never looked?"

"Never quite had a reason to."

She put her hands to her hips and shook her head. "A stud like you and I still can't believe you haven't been with other women, either before or after me." After was more believable with how he spoke of her, but before-it seemed so odd. Then again, he did say he dated before, but his focus had always been on training and never relationships. "Your dad and uncle just never knew what they had on their hands. Such incredible force." Jason chuckled once and walked up to her pace.

"You love it too, every time." He smirked and sent chills down her spine as her cheeks began to burn. He leaned his head next to her ear and whispered. "I'm sorry, were you thinking of a different kind of force?"

She moaned sensually and quickly snapped out of the daze he was putting her in. There was a candy shop to her left, so she rushed into it. "Oh my god! Look at all the different snacks."

She hovered over some chocolate candy and glanced to the side as Jason leaned over her shoulder. "See anything? There is a cookie cake shop right around the corner." Her eyes widened and she twisted her head to look back at him.

"Oh my god…Great American Cookies?"

"Yes."

"Show me!" She followed him around the corner where there were several tables positioned around the area. There was a Chinese restaurant, then the cookie place beside it. She flocked towards it with haste and studied the slices.

She wasn't a cake person by any means, but cookie cake wasn't normal cake. "Down the way there's a Dippin' Dot's and a Cinnabon stand." Her heart skipped a beat and her legs began to feel weak as her stomach started to growl.

"Jason?"

"Yes dear?"

"I love you."

At the Cinnabon stand, she waited in line while Jason sat in a nearby chair. She watched him with a full heart. He was leaning back, his arms stretched out on the chair and his feet propped up on the coffee table. His gaze was focused on a jewelry shop nearby and his head was tilted slightly to the right as though deep in contemplation.

Her excitement slowed as she followed his gaze to the jewelry stand, and suddenly everything around her seemed to pause. How could she ever consider marriage? Once she got her bachelors, she didn't know what she was going to do with her life.

Her desire was to settle down and maybe one day start a family of her own. A cool calm washed over her as she visualized two young children running around in the backyard. How did Jason feel about marriage, though? Did he wonder how it was like to spend his life with a woman when the whole idea of love had been so new to him?

She had to remind herself that for the last couple of years he'd likely done nothing but question it. "Ma'am? Here's your cinnamon bites." She looked to the woman behind the register with wide eyes and a flushed expression. The lady was offering a large cup of round cinnamon roll balls.

"T-Thank you." She grabbed the cup and hurried over to Jason. His hand was absently patting the chair and his hair had fallen before his eyes, yet he hadn't noticed. "I have your balls, Jason." She saw him flinch, then slowly look over, his face white as a sheet.

"Wonderful wording, love."

She smirked at him and sat down in his lap. "You're welcome." She grabbed one of the snacks between her fingers and lifted it up. "Here." She brought it to his lips and he let out a sigh before letting her feed him the snack.

"Do you realize how much I'm going to have to work out in order to get these out of my system?"

"Yes." She smiled and closed her eyes while grabbing a second. "Promise to think of me while you're working out?" His arms wrapped around her and his deep laugh enriched her ears.

"Of course."

She put one arm around his neck and glanced off at the jewelry store. "What were you thinking about?" He followed up with a grunt and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. The future, I suppose. It's hard to know exactly where we're headed in life."

"Yeah." She pushed herself up and grabbed his hands. "Okay, enough sitting around, let's keep going."

"I'm with you on that."

They did pass through a clothing shop that Trina wanted to browse around in, there was a beautiful golden dress she saw that was sadly too expensive for her. She hated dresses, but this was a formal dress that really stood out to her. It was long and had a wide, bell-shaped bottom. It was creased and had a lacey tip, along with a slit on the right leg side. The chest was low cut and it had a lower back with a zipper.

When she went to the restroom and came back, she found Jason had purchased something, but wasn't willing to tell her until they made it to the car. Once there, he pulled the very dress from the bag.

Standing in front of the car, she moved her hands over her mouth. "You didn't." Her eyes glazed over as Jason shrugged and smiled at her.

"You were fawning over it in the store and getting upset over how you wished you could afford it." He held it with both hands and looked down at it with an arched eyebrow. "We could probably find it at Amazon or something for cheaper, but I wanted to get it for you now."

Trina took the dress and held it close. "Thank you." She glanced to the bag and saw the arm warmers that came with the dress. Two lace yellow gloves that stretched out to the elbows. "You didn't have to buy it."

"If it makes you happy." She moved forward, pressing herself up against his chest to hug him while still holding her new dress.

"Just being with you…spending my life with you makes me happy." He gazed down at her and embraced her. She tentatively pushed the dress back into the bag and moved her arms around his waist. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be. Sorry for dragging you around the mall."

"It's all right, I know you just wanted to have one of those moments of dragging your boyfriend through a crazed mall adventure." Her cheeks turned red and she slowly moved her gaze up to his, meeting his soft smirk. "That's right. I figured you out. You can drag me almost anywhere and I won't object-some of the time."

"How do you manage the mall? I wonder how most guys deal with it."

"Well for me, I just play 'Welcome to the Jungle' in my head, and tune out the rest." He opened the car door for her and she slowly slipped in, laughing at his response. "I'm sure that's what most guys do."

"You saw the two men standing outside that shop, looking so sad and pitiful?" He nodded slowly and exhaled upon getting into the car. "You ever think that's going to be you one day? You know their wives or girlfriends have their card."

"Exactly why I said I'm not giving you mine." He winked and started up the vehicle. "If it has to be, I'll just know it's the woman I love in there and I'm hopefully doing something right."

"Well…I hate the mall, so as long as we're together, I'll never do that to you."

"Today was just a test run, was it?"

"Basically."

* * *

A little sweetness goes a long way, though some plot critical stuff happened here as well.


	33. Doting Lovers

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: Since it's such a short chapter (written on a chapter without word count, but the ending is where I feel is appropriate) I'm going to update this for you.

* * *

Chapter 33 (Doting Lovers)

"I am a little concerned we are beginning to become 'that' couple," Jason muttered as he and Trina sat down on a bench in front of the fountain in the quad. Trina looked down at the shirts they wore and started to laugh. Lindsay bought them two matching 'his' and 'her' shirts. They had a phrase and an arrow pointing to the other person. His shirt said "The Smart One" and pointed at her. Hers stated simply "I'm with stupid".

"I see absolutely nothing wrong with it." She wrapped her hands around his strong arm and leaned sideways into him. She kissed the top of his shoulder, then kissed the crevice between his neck and shoulder bone. "If we make other people envious, then that's their problem."

"True." His lips curved up and he pecked the tip of her nose. "I'll never tire of it though. I just never thought for a minute that-"

"You'd have a beautiful, loving girlfriend who would do anything for you?" She flashed a smirk and he laughed joyously. His arms stretched out across the top of the bench, with his left wrapping around her shoulders.

"That's right. I can't believe I actually have you in my life. Something that's real, something nobody else in my family could ever say they had. A feeling that could last…" She leaned upwards, her palm came to rest gently on his chest and her eyes gaze tenderly into his. His hand reached up and smoothly caressed her chin while his thumb brushed slowly along her lips. His mouth pressed firmly together and his chest expanded. "Do I really deserve that? This? You?"

She tilted her head as her eyebrows curled up in the middle. His fingers gently swept through a strand of her hair. His gaze was soothing and the gentle movements of his body seemed to resonate through her. "You are so beautiful, inside and out. Pure and gentle. For someone like me…that's not something I'm used to."

"You deserve it as much as I do, or as much as any of us do." Her fingers curled inwards, sliding along his chest and moving beneath her palm. She gently kissed his chest and turned her head to lay on it. "I couldn't ask for a better man."

"Aw really? You know there are many good men out there." He smirked playfully and gently brushed his fingers through the back of her hair. "Men who would jump at the chance to have you and don't have family members that wouldn't like you or try to keep you apart."

"Maybe." She pursed her lips and shrugged. "There are none qualified or up to my standards the way you are." To her, he was more than just a man. All of the things that attracted her to him were only the surface of what made her fall in love with him. "You. You're smart, you're kind-sure you've got some faults like anyone, but you have the biggest heart." She pushed herself up and moved her hands to his shoulders.

He gazed lovingly into her eyes, melting her. Trina moved over him and leaned her body into his, her hands slipped along his upper back and her eyes remained glued to his while her face moved within inches of his.

"Nobody has been able to see me like you have. Nobody has ever been able to show me they care in the way you have. I know you would never abandon me, I know in my heart I can trust you."

"Good, because I would never do anything to hurt you." He leaned forward, giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. His arms slid around her waist and held her close as she hugged him tight.

"I think you know if you hurt me, it would be the last thing you ever did." She smirked at him and he laughed. "Lindsay would get to you long before I could."

"I don't disagree. I'll never give you or her a reason though, you know that."

"Yeah." She bit her lip and let her eyes drift towards his warm, inviting lips. "I do."

She arched her body forward and kissed him fiercely. His hands slid to her waist as she swayed her hips against his. She could feel her heart exploding within her as her entire body began to heat up. Trina pulled away breathlessly and saw Jason's warm smirk.

"Making out on the bench in the quad with a pair of 'his and her' outfits?" His right hand ran beneath her shirt and up her back. She closed her eyes and bit into her lip as chills and shivers shot through her. "We are totally becoming the couple everyone loves to hate." She supressed a moan and gasped out.

"I don't care." Trina flew back into the kiss, releasing her moan into his passionate kiss. His fingers circled the nook in her back and continued to shoot tendrils of sensation into her veins.

She was not an exhibitionist by any means, but found it increasingly difficult to resist the carnal urges being pounded into her blood.

Trina soon found herself lying back on the bench with Jason hovering above her, kissing her lips with a further heated passion. In the middle of their session, he pulled his head back and closed his lips, breathing slowly through his nose. Trina panted heavily and eyed his lips hungrily.

"We could continue our walk around campus, Trina." Her eyes widened and her fingers retracted from their clawing form on his back.

"Not fair. You got me all riled up." She spoke between pants, still struggling to catch her breath. His head blocked the sun above her and formed a near golden aura around his muscular frame. Taking a deep breath, she held onto it and moved her hands down along his arms. "Damn it."

"Well either way we have to walk back to the apartments." A red blush ran across her face and he lowered down, quickly kissing her. Her eyes fluttered shut as her chest rose up into his and her right hand grabbed for the back of his neck while her left positioned on his firm abdomen.

She pulled back for a brisk moment, raising her eyebrow at him. Her heart was racing and she felt powerless beneath him. "How long has it been since we-"

"A week or two now."

"Your place, or mine?"

"All my roommates are home."

"Lindsay's spending the day with another one of her friends. Michelle and Francine are off doing their own thing. If we hurry…" Her voice trailed off and a slight whimper drifted from her lips as his groin dug into hers.

"Well. We don't have to. I know you've been getting more serious lately about waiting." Her arms trembled as his chest lowered and brushed against hers. She could feel her nipples tensing and pushing through her shirt and grew embarrassed at forgetting her bra. She shook her head and closed her eyes, sucking in a deep breath.

His hum vibrated from his chest and into her body, filling her with a sudden sensation. Her hands clamped around his arm and she studied his firm lips and tender, compassionate gaze. "It's okay to indulge once in a while, isn't it?" He lifted his shoulders and kissed her forehead.

"Sure. Just if that's what you want."

"I want it."

"Cuddling up together is just as good, you know."

"I know. I want to make love." She couldn't see herself with any other man, be it now or in any conceivable future. She loved to cuddle and to hold his hand, more than she did kissing or even having sex, but the fact was that it felt so real and pure with him. It wasn't just sex to her anymore, it was a natural part of their relationship, a natural feeling that she enjoyed as it was symbolic of their coming together as one. "Don't you?"

"I do, I just want to make sure it's for the right reasons. That it's love, not lust." His hand swept her bangs from her eyes and his strong gaze bore into her soul.

"That's how it is for me. Love." She kissed his jaw and smiled up at him. "Who would have thought you'd be such a sensitive man? Under all that big proud and egotistical wolf or man-beast of yours…" Her lips curved into a smirk and he closed his eyes, chuckling softly.

"What can I say? You bring out the best in me, Trina."

"So do you." She melted into the bench with a heavy sigh and smiled dreamily. "If you want, we can catch a movie after. Maybe even go to the Mesquite Dining Café for some supper."

"Sounds like a plan to me. If you're still in the mood, we can head over to your apartment."

She laughed slightly and moved her hand to his face, cupping it around his cheek. "Have we really gotten to planning these moments now?"

"It appears that way." He laughed and rolled off her. His hand took hers and he helped her up to her feet. She stumbled forward while trying to catch herself and landed into his chest. She glanced up at him and watched a handsome smirk spread across his face. "Falling for me all over again, I see?"

Her cheeks reddened and she playfully smacked his chest. "Shut up." Her hand slipped down into his and her heart shot up to her throat. "Let's go…"

* * *

Okay I admit I could have written another lemon-was tempted, but I didn't feel like it. I don't think it's necessary in this place, and it would basically be word padding in a sense-the attempt to gain some ground.


	34. Flu Shots and Unwanted Guests

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 34 (Flu Shots and Unwanted Guests)

The Vinson Health center had a small, square waiting room with a flat screen television on the wall. Jason and Trina were there to get flu shots taken care of. "Why do we have to be here?" Jason tapped his fingers anxiously on the arm of his chair. His muscles were tight and his eyes were glancing up at the television with some irritation. "They could at least make it more comfortable by having some show-any show besides fucking Dr. Phil."

"You know we need to get the flu shots taken care of." She rarely got sick, but she didn't want to take chances.

"I don't get the flu. Never had it. I've gotten colds, I've had fevers, but the flu? Nope." She moved her hand onto his and smiled reassuringly. He looked at her and relaxed his body. His voice lowered and his shoulders rose. "I can't stand needles. There, I said it."

"I'm getting a shot too. I promise it doesn't hurt. I'll be right there with you anyway." She flashed a smirk and her eyelids fell halfway. "You can squeeze my hand to distract from the pain if you like." He rolled his eyes and smirked back at her. "What can I say? I'm used to foreign objects poking inside me." His face reddened and he started to cough.

"Yeah but we hope that feels good and isn't painful. Needles are painful." Trina never thought much of the pain, but mostly because she never felt any pain. Usually the needle had a very slight prick, but that was it.

"Jason. It goes in, they inject the fluid, then pull it out. It's a painless process, you'll see." He brought his right leg up to rest over his left, then leaned back with a heavy sigh. She curled her fingers around his hand, tightening her grip as she studied his strong focused gaze on the door in front of them. "What's got you so stiff with needles?"

"I don't know, I just never could stand them." She felt him shudder and pursed her lips. Jason leaned back and exhaled. "It'll be fine though. It's not really a big deal."

"Okay. I'm just concerned about you." He smiled at her and leaned over, kissing her left temple. Trina reached for her backpack and pulled out her criminal justice textbook. "I've been meaning to get your advice on something."

"What is it?" He folded his arms and leaned once more, glancing down at the book in her hands. "I'm not very well versed in the criminal justice system, but I'll try."

"It isn't that." She tucked her hair behind her ear and furrowed her brow. "I was talking to Dr. Paddack. My minor advisor. He says it's more practical if my major and minor were the other way around."

"So instead of History, go for Criminal Justice?"

"Yeah." Dr. Hewitt, her advisor for History told her that typically history majors have to go for a masters and above. The secretary told her a lot of their history majors have difficulty getting jobs and the higher up they go the more they have to know someone in a certain area of specialization. "I did some research, even asked around, and Dr. Paddack's right that there's more job outlook for criminal justice."

Jason rubbed his chin and "I think the important thing there is-yeah do you want a job when you get your bachelor's degree, but what do you want to do?" She ran her fingers over the surface of the book and pressed her lips together. "I seem to remember back at camp you had an interest in criminology."

Her eyes widened and her lips turned upwards. "Yeah that's why I chose Criminal Justice as a minor, or at least part of the reason anyway. I want to go the forensics or CSI route. I'd love to be a detective-Dr. Paddack says there are a number of things I can do with a degree in Criminal Justice."

"So why didn't you choose it as your major?"

"Because I got an Associates of Arts degree and thought that limited me to Bachelor's of Arts and omitted Bachelor of Science." Jason raised an eyebrow and leaned his head back. Trina brought her hand to her forehead, muttering to herself.

"You do know that it doesn't matter, right? You can get a Bachelor's degree in anything you want."

"Of course, I know that _now_. I was just rushing. I love history though. I know that you don't need a degree to study history." She exhaled and rubbed her index finger along her eyebrow. It was hard to think about switching, but it was better to do it now than to do it later. "Dr. Paddack also says straight Criminal Justice."

"No minor?"

"Yeah. The credit hours would be the same but I'd have more C-J courses than there would be if I had a minor at all." He hummed at her and smiled slightly.

"You also know somebody that works criminal justice. Your dad. So right there you'd have a job. That is, assuming you two ever start talking again." She scowled and shook her head. Jason's face softened and he let out a defeated sigh. "He still not answering your calls?"

"I always get the voicemail, probably because he's busy or whatever, but at least he could call me back." She wasn't going to worry about that right now, but it was annoying her greatly. "So far the only people in my family I've heard from are Aunt Dee and Sarah."

"Grandparents still blocked?"

"Yes." He set his arm on the top of the back end of her chair. The corners of his lips pulled back into his cheeks and his forehead creased while his thumb gently tapped the cushion on the chair.

"That's good, though I'm just a little concerned that he could still affect you."

She slouched and gently opened her textbook. "Lindsay's been trying to get me to create a new Facebook or deactivate mine, create a new email and all this other stuff, but I just don't know if I'm ready to do that."

"I don't have a Facebook." He pat his chest and lifted his eyebrows. "I'm doing just fine. As for email, what do you use?"

"I have my campus email, a professional email and a personal one." She didn't use the professional email much, it had been created in an attempt of foresight. "KJVega at the campus email. My first and last name at gmail is the professional email, and my personal is Katrina1993 at yahoo." She pulled out her phone and opened the yahoo email button. When her eyes hit the email, her heart sank. "Grandpa's still got that email."

"Let me see."

"Okay." She handed him the phone and watched as he scrolled through all the messages related to her grandfather. Most of them were callous in the sense that he was pissed she was ignoring her. "What are you going to do?"

"Well step one. Deleting your grandfather's emails and contact information." Her heart skipped as she watched his finger slide along the screen. A nervous chuckle drifted from her lips. "Making sure any further emails from him go into spam."

After several seconds he stopped, his eyebrows shot up and his lip curled into a nervous smirk. She leaned over and gasped at what she saw, he'd stumbled across her other personal yahoo email. A much older account that she hadn't used since she created it just after camp.

"What's this? Katrina-Tyler93?" He shot her a sly look and she swiped the phone away from him. Her cheeks reddened and her heart began to race.

"I made it after camp! I haven't used it or anything, it was just…I don't know, fantasy maybe?"

His smirk deepened as she continued to stumble over her words. "Cute." She froze and looked back at him, her blush darkened.

"Shut up." Jason laughed as she stuffed her phone into her pocket. "Nobody else knows that email account, anyway. I've never used it."

"Not bad." He tucked his finger under his chin and slanted his eyes. "You could technically use that one then as a main personal email and just use the other for whatever websites you have it tied to." He shrugged and Trina glanced up curiously. "Just saying, it's a way to make it so the people who do harass you don't. Plus, you don't need to have your email tied to many websites anyway."

"Why not?"

"Privacy issues. Especially if you want to go into something like Criminal Justice, do you really want your entire life on the internet?"

"No…"

"I have one email that I use. Nothing more. I send my uncle's stuff to spam because all he ever does is tell me how I'm a disappointment. Dad sometimes has more reasonable and important stuff. I don't put myself out online-don't even own a computer, I do all my schoolwork in the computer labs."

"I guess that's fair. I have some old game websites tied to my personal email, but that's about it. I mean, there are other things, but like I said, old stuff. I could stick with my primary email, but yeah I still look in my spam folder, so seeing emails from Grandpa or Holly might be stressful."

"Hence the change of email. As for Facebook, I know you use yours to keep in touch with friends so I wouldn't suggest deactivation to you. At the same time, it might benefit you to make a separate account that only people you trust know about."

He had a great point and a good idea, plus it wasn't so extreme as deactivation would be. "I'll consider it." The door opened up and the nurse called them in. Jason's eyes flickered to the nurse and he groaned. "Come on Jason, it's not going to be so bad." She took his hand and pulled him up with her.

"I know."

"You're just being a big baby."

He blinked a couple times and huffed. "I am not!" She flashed a casual smirk and stood on her toes, reaching up to kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear.

"Get a shot and I'll reward you later tonight?" His eyebrows shot up and he shrugged.

"What kind of man do you think I am?"

"A boyfriend that knows if he doesn't satisfy his girlfriend, he's in trouble?"

"Damn it. Let's do this." He cleared his throat and marched to the door. Trina watched him with a sly grin and followed suit.

After the appointment, the couple walked together in the courtyard of the Sundance apartments. It was somewhat like the quad, but behind the apartments and without the fountain. There was a center paved circle with four trash cans forming a square around it. The pathways led out to the doors, then the back parking lot.

Trina admired the Band-aid on Jason's arm. The shot truly was painless, as he was impressed with, but he almost had a heart attack over the fact that they were going to put the Band-Aid on. It was as if the thing would damage his pride and ego.

"They match at least," she remarked, "Our Band-Aids." Jason laughed once and folded his arms over.

"Why do you think I haven't torn it off and tossed it in the trash?"

Her lips pursed and she flattened her eyebrows above her eyes. "I don't get you sometimes." He glanced at her and the corners of her lips drifted upwards.

"What don't you get?"

"You have great pain endurance, I've seen it whenever you spar with someone. You absolutely never complain-even when your uncle was…" She hesitated and watched Jason's arms fall towards his sides. She lifted her hand tentatively to his back and closed her lips for a moment. "Beating you down that one time-"

"Uncle Erwin has a lot of power and a lot of say in the going-on of the family, but my dad has his moments too. You'd think dad was weak, you know."

"Sikowitz does seem to outshine him."

"Well, growing up my uncle would inject me with this…stuff." He stopped walking and Trina froze, her eyes flew towards him as a new fear crept up on her. "I don't know what it was, other than it wasn't steroids. It was the one thing that burned like hell. It made me angry, made me…fight…" Her hand cupped her mouth and she watched Jason's fist clench.

Instinctively she reached out, taking his hand in hers. She could feel blood pulsing through his veins in rapid beats. "He drugged you?"

"Yeah. I guess. My dad found out and put his foot down. It was one of the few, maybe only times that Dad ever stopped Uncle Erwin from doing something."

Her eyes began to sting as her own heart sank down into her stomach. "I'm sorry, Jason. I never meant to bring up something so-I wouldn't have made you get that shot if I knew-" He lifted his hand and gave her a gentle, reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about that. I'm fine." His face softened. Trina stepped forward, slipping her arms between his and bringing her palms up to his back. "It was a long time ago, anyway. I was fairly young, it's probably the reason I'm forgetful too. That, and too many bangs on the head." He laughed, trying lighten the situation.

It didn't lighten much and Trina felt her tears streaking her face. She buried her face into his chest and waited as he embraced her waist. "Hey. You okay?" It was terrible to hear all of the things he endured, but at the same time, she was happy he was getting away from that. Or at the very least, he was trying to.

"Y-Yeah." She took a step back and wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I'm glad you're alright, Jason. Let's head inside?"

"Sure." He set his hand gently on the small of her back and walked with her to the door of the complex. He held the door open for her and smiled as she entered first.

Once inside, they moved along the hallway towards the main lobby and stairs. When they heard a familiar voice, they stopped short of the lounge where the sound of pool balls clacking together filled the air.

"How much longer do we need to wait?" Harold asked with a bored tone. "He is not in the apartment, he might be gone for the rest of the day."

"Then we wait that long," Sikowitz growled. Trina's hands flew to her mouth and Jason put a finger to his lips. He peered slightly into the lounge and his muscles tightened. "His roommate says he's 'out with his girlfriend'."

"Oh god," Trina's heart pulsed violently and drew her hand down to her chest. Jason cursed under his breath and leaned back. "Jason, they know now."

"I think they already knew."

They heard the sound of a ball striking the table, followed by Sikowitz uttering a sharp curse. "Missed it by an inch."

"You never were the best at Billards," Harold laughed.

"Fuck you."

"Don't be a sore loser." Trina peered around the corner and saw Harold bending over the table, lining up his shot. Sikowitz was beside him, applying chalk to his stick. "Tell you what. I win we head out. Staking out the boy may not help out cause."

"What cause? The boy's off cavorting with that distraction. If we don't do something about that woman-" Harold's eyes flicked up from the cue and Trina felt a sudden chill as his gaze met hers.

His jaw tightened and his moustache bristled out over his upper lip with a strong breeze from his nose. He dipped the brim of his hat, lined up his shot, and struck the ball. It went directly into the left corner pocket, earning a curse from Sikowitz. "That woman is off in Jersey, Erwin. I'm sure of that."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Have your students ever given you reason to believe they're lying to you? Does her sister not say she is in Jersey? What about the girl that's befriended her?"

"Jade? Yes. When they talk about her, they say she's up north. I just can't picture Jason with any other woman besides the tramp." Trina's blood ran cold and she started to rush in to attack, but Jason pulled her back before she could.

She looked into his eyes, trembling and trying to stifle a cry. "It could be he's just trying to move on from her, Erwin. Even after two or more years, he might still need a rebound." Another ball hit the wall of the table and Harold sighed. "Well, your shot. You have, what, three stripes left? Think you can get those in before I hit the eight ball in?"

"We can try."

"How about hitting the airport if you lose? Call off the search for a while and let my son deal with school. He'll come around to our point of view soon enough."

"Fine."

"Okay let's go," Jason whispered, "Dad's a champion at Billiards, no way Uncle's winning." Trina nodded and followed him out the way they came. She kept looking over her shoulder, frightened that they might be coming after them.

"H-He saw me, Jason. Your dad…saw me…"

"Seriously?" Jason raised an eyebrow at her and huffed. "I'd think he would tell Uncle Erwin if he saw you. Why he's sticking with the Jersey story, I wouldn't know. For now, let's just use that to get the hell away."

"Where to?"

"They don't know where your apartment is, and Lindsay's not about to let them come around. How about we hang low there for a while?" That was as good an option as any. They'd be safe there. "You'll have to tell your roommates to not give those two information."

"I'll talk to Joel about it too." Joel was his RA in the Sundance courts. If he was told not to let someone come near a tenant's room, then that would be done. "For now, let's just steer clear of Dad and Crazy."

* * *

Because the next chapter kind of goes with this in the sense of bringing up part of a climax, I'll put it up for you.


	35. Stress Snowball

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 35 (Stress Snowball)

Through the next week things were relatively calm, though Trina hadn't heard from her father at all. She didn't worry about it so much anymore and had put him on the backburner of things that were important to her. Her grandfather hadn't contacted her either and was still blocked thanks to Lindsay's efforts.

Aunt Diane had not been too thrilled that Trina had taken that route, but she had to agree it might have been for the best since he was such a great cause of distress in her life. Of course Aunt Dee knew she was at Midwestern now-she wasn't thrilled about the dishonesty on Trina's part, but hadn't judged her harshly on the subject.

"Trina, put me on speaker," Sarah's voice rang in her ear and she pulled the phone away. Jason was sitting beside her, his arm around her shoulders. He was looking at the phone in amusement. "Come on." She put her head to Jason's shoulder and struck the speakerphone button while setting the phone down on the arm of the chair.

She tapped her foot on the ground and exhaled softly. It was obvious why Sarah wanted to be put on a speaker, she just wanted to make sure it wouldn't be anything awkward or weird. After all, Jason hadn't spoken with any of her relatives before, except her dad, and he still was oblivious to her relationship. "You're on."

"Okay. Now my next question is for Jason." Trina crossed her arms and snuggled into his chest, gazing at the phone as he moved his hand to her outer arm and gently brushed his fingers along it.

He scratched his stubbly chin. Trina crossed her left leg over her right and tilted her head back, kissing just the bottom of his chin. "I'm here," Jason stated, "What do you want to ask?"

"You love her?" What kind of question was that? Sarah was looking out for her, sure, but she didn't think her cousin was going to be that blunt or personal.

"Of course."

"She's not the world's happiest person." Trina scrunched her face at the phone and growled. "I just want to make sure you're treating her well. Have you ever dated anyone else?"

"I had a couple girlfriends before her, and only one serious relationship." Trina looked up at him with a frown and furled her eyebrows. He glanced back at her and shrugged his shoulder. "It was when I was twelve though. She ditched me for someone else."

"So you'll treat her right. I guess you've never-and I'm sorry if this is a bit too personal but it needs to be asked-sex." Trina bowed her head and moved her hand to her forehead, embarrassed and shocked by her cousin's bluntness.

"No, I've never had sex with anyone else."

Trina leaned forward, speaking sharply into the phone. "Hey Cuz, I'm about to turn off this phone!"

"Sorry Trina, I'm just concerned. Dad doesn't know him either, though mom's here. Kind of unwillingly." Trina paled when she heard Aunt Dee say hello. "Does Uncle David know anything about him yet?"

"Not really."

"Would they approve of him?" Aunt Diane inquired. She shrugged and looked back at Jason, studying him for a minute.

"I don't think they'd have an opinion of him. Tori maybe, but only because she saw him at this thing that their teacher did. Their teacher is his uncle. Tori found him attractive or something, but he wasn't interested."

"I was looking for her," Jason remarked while pointing to Trina despite the relatives not being able to see him. "I only have eyes for Trina."

Dee chuckled softly, "Well Trina, I hope you're studying and keeping your grades up. Don't get too distracted by your boyfriend."

"Yes ma'am." She currently had mostly As, with the exception of a B in her Art class. "Hey, I could get into HBU with the grades I have!" Sarah laughed and Dee mused over the words.

"That would be so nice," Sarah remarked, "What would you do so far away from Jason, though?" Trina hummed and glanced at him, surprised to see him shrug.

"My mom lives on an Indian reservation. I can get scholarships to any school. If it came down to moving, I would if I could."

"You would do that? Really?"

"Yes."

"I'm impressed." Trina smiled softly and felt her cheeks burn with a heavy blush as her heart skipped a beat. She would never ask him to move for her, but liked knowing that he would if it came down to that. "Trina, he really does sound like a good man. I'd hold onto him if I were you."

"I'll try my best." She reached behind her and brushed her hand along his face. She admired the light stubble he was growing, it tickled her each time she kissed him but it also added a rugged feel.

"What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" Her aunt inquired. "Will you be visiting family?"

"No. I don't have any reason to see them."

"You're not concerned you're just blowing them off?"

"No I'm-" Suddenly the apartment door swung open and Tori's voice filled the air. Trina's heart stopped and her eyes widened as the air in the room suddenly grew dense and heavy. How in the hell was _she _here?

It was a four day weekend for the people at Hollywood Arts, she knew that much, so it could be possible that Tori would take a trip. How did she know she was at Midwestern?

Jason furrowed his brow and glanced up as Tori rounded the corner. "Get up!" Tori shrieked while reaching for Trina's shirt. Too startled to react, she was able to be pulled up by the girl's frail arms.

However once attacked, she stabilized herself and glared at her stepsister. "How did you find me?"

"Beck told me!" Trina's eyes widened and Tori pointed to Jason. "He also said you were screwing that guy. I thought I told you I was interested in him? First Cat takes him and then I find out he's with you? What the fuck, Trina! Don't you know you don't go after someone your sister's been with?" Tori's words struck her body with intense force. She cleared her throat as Jason crossed his arms and twisted his mouth into a slight sneer.

"Excuse me? I was with him a long time before you. What do you mean Beck told you?"

"We were talking at lunch one day and I said something about you being at school studying nursing. He said you were at Midwestern dating Jason. Apparently he slipped up because he shut up after that and Jade hit him. Does she know too?"

"Yeah, she does."

"So what, I'm the last to know? You go after someone I was clearly into, lie to us by going to another school, and everyone else knows? What the hell, Trina? You really are a bitch!"

Unable to contain her anger any further, Trina's hand connected with the side of Tori's face. The sound of the slap echoed through the air and the room grew silent. Tori's eyes widened and Jason reached over to the phone, turning it off with an apology.

Tori's hand moved up to her cheek and her eyes glossed over. Her teeth clenched together and her eyes flashed with anger. "Okay." Jason pat his knees and pushed himself up. Trina shot him a side glare while Tori continued to seethe. "I know better to get involved in between a spat between sisters, but I think I should have the right to defend myself here."

He moved over, stepping between the stepsiblings and faced Trina, setting his hands to her shoulders and looking into her eyes. A calming sensation began to wash over her, her breathing slowed and her eyelids closed over. "Even if you're angry at her, there's no reason to smack her. You don't even have to deal with her if you don't want to. This is your apartment, ask her to leave."

Jason turned around and crossed his arms, watching as Tori rubbed her cheek. "You are a tad high strung and need to chill the fuck out." The girl raised an eyebrow and Jason pushed his hands into his pockets, sighing heavily. "It might sting a little, but I was never interested in you."

"But I was attracted," Tori lowered her hand and glared past him at Trina. "I saw you first and told her about it. It's the sister code." Trina scoffed and started to retort with a sharp remark, but stopped when Jason sighed and lifted his hand.

"I don't know. This 'girl code', 'sister code', whatever. If you want to abide by it, then Tori, you'd have to be the one to back off. I met Trina at a martial arts camp." Tori's lips fell apart and Trina crossed her arms. "Besides, it doesn't really sound like you two abide much by it. You never talk to her, and if this is the only time you've talked to her since leaving…then that's pretty shitty, but it's not my place."

"I remember her going off to camp for a few months. She never said she met any guy."

"Probably my fault. My uncle's a little…odd. I don't mean in the way that you guys have seen him either. He kept me away from her and her away from me. I didn't want anything to happen to her either, so it's entirely possible she just didn't mention me."

"Oh I mentioned you." Trina put her hand to his shoulder and walked past him, glaring viciously into Trina's eyes. "It's just whatever I say doesn't matter because some people don't fucking listen to me!"

"All you ever do is complain about how dad doesn't give a shit about you, Trina."

"Well I certainly haven't heard from him in at least a month now. It's almost November."

"Well maybe if you tried calling him!"

"If I tr-I've tried calling him time and time again!" Practically every week, at least twice a week she would call him and he was never there to pick up the phone. He never called back either.

"It's a two way street, Trina." She put her hands to her temples, groaning softly as her head throbbed painfully. "You know that. Maybe if you spent less time complaining about him and more time-"

"Get out."

"What?" Tori looked aghast. Trina lowered her hands and pointed to the door.

"I came to Midwestern to get away from you. Get out. I do not want to see you again. I have given you all chance after chance, and every time I do it ends in a headache. Now get the hell out of my apartment and stay the fuck away from me, stay the fuck away from Jason."

"Now Trina-"

Her voice rose to the top of her lungs, blasting out and causing the others to flinch. "Get out!" After that, Tori wasted no time leaving the apartment.

Jason took her hand and she pulled away, she was too tense and didn't feel like being touched. As she moved to the couch, she heard a voice from the phone. "I thought I turned that off," Jason muttered, "I must have hit the wrong button."'

Trina grabbed the phone, sighing when she heard Sarah on the other end. "Trina. Is everything all right? We heard…it sounded pretty bad."

"Well, it's not too different than what I've been telling you. Now you understand why I don't want anything to do with them?"

"I'm sorry. Try to rest. You know I'm here for you."

"I know…" She looked up and watched Jason move into the bathroom. He returned with a couple Tylenol and a cup of water. Her lips curved up and she closed her eyes. "I'll be alright. Though I don't know if Tori came here alone or not. It wouldn't surprise me if Holly were around, but I really don't care right now."

"Yeah, I wouldn't worry about them. Just try to relax. You know, you're more than welcome to come here for Thanksgiving. Dad's even insisting."

"I don't know, Sarah. I'll think about it. It's hard to be thankful for much in my family after what just happened."

"Hey, you'll be fine. Just take a few deep breaths and relax, try and think about something else."

"I will. Thanks." Jason sat beside her and handed her the pills, she tossed them into her mouth and swallowed down the water. When she hung up the phone, she could still feel her adrenaline rushing through her body. Leaning back slowly she pat her knees and looked to her boyfriend. "Let's have sex."

"What?" He raised an eyebrow and shot her a skeptical look. "Seriously? After all that?"

"I need the stress relief." She got up and moved for the bedroom, looking over her shoulder with a smile. He chuckled softly and rose up. "Lock that door by the way, I'm surprised it wasn't locked before."

"Alright." As he went to lock the door, she hurried into her bedroom and threw herself onto the bed. She wiped her eyes and sighed as her head burrowed into the pillow.

After a minute, she could feel Jason's firm hands gently massaging her shoulders, relieving the tension in her body. "Maybe you'd just prefer a back massage for now."

She turned her head up and shrugged, "Whatever works." She didn't care as long as she could relax and relieve herself from all the tension and anxiety.

* * *

Cousin Sarah, aka "the cuz" is pretty helpful it seems. It's good for Trina to see family members like her and aunt diane.


	36. Family Business

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 36 (Family Business)

At Jason's apartment, Trina was on the couch with her laptop and Jason was making himself a sandwich in the kitchen. The heater wasn't running and it was freezing cold, so both were wearing sweatpants. While Trina was wearing one of Jason's sweaters, Jason himself didn't have sweats and was forced to wear one of Trina's.

To his dismay, his roommate Michael arrived home and was cracking up over the purple pants. "Dude." Trina looked over the couch as Michael set down his backpack and studied Jason close. Jason was currently holding a knife in his right hand and licking some mayonnaise off the thumb of his left. "When did you get purple pants?"

"Oh they're mine," Trina waved and Jason's eyebrow rose while Michael continued to laugh. "He was out of sweatpants, so I went to grab some." Jason extended his arms to the side and stared at her with an open mouth.

"Did I do something wrong?" He inquired. Jason set the knife down and folded the bread onto the sandwich. "Yes. I am cold enough that I am wearing my girlfriend's pants. Now if you don't want me to throw something back at you, may I suggest fucking off?"

Michael brushed his nose and walked forward while slowing down the chuckle. He glanced to Trina and leaned sideways towards her. "What have you done to him?" She merely smiled and returned to checking her email as Jason scowled. Michael straightened himself and flashed a smirk at Jason. "See dude, this is why the ladies dig me, I don't wear my girlfriend's clothing."

Jason pointed the mayonnaise covered butter knife at Michael and grinned wide. "No man, that mouth is why you're still single and will probably end up a lonely old bachelor living with your mother." Michael dismissed him with a wave and walked over to him, laughing loudly. He placed an arm around Jason's shoulders and looked over to Trina.

"Whatever man. Hey, you on the couch." Trina looked away from her computer, pulling her fingers away and smiling politely. She'd not met Michael before, which was odd, but he was amusing enough. "My buddy's treatin' you right? If he doesn't we'll have an intervention." Jason rolled his eyes and grabbed his sandwich.

"I could take on all three of you."

"Sure you could!" Michael pat Jason's chest, then tapped him on the chin. "Because you're real fearsome in those purple pants." Jason tilted his head, chuckling softly.

"Fuck you."

Michael clicked his tongue and pat Jason's shoulder. "Don't think your girlfriend would like that much." Trina had to stifle a laugh, but to her amazement, Jason replied just as strongly.

"Are you saying you would? I don't swing that way, man." Jason smirked triumphantly and walked away from the stammering roommate. As he sat down beside her, she playfully smacked him on the arm. Michael grabbed a beer from the fridge, shaking his head.

"I have to hand it to you Jay, you've got a thing for comebacks."

He put his arm around Trina's shoulder and held the sandwich an inch from his mouth. "I've had a lot of practice." He bit into the sandwich and Michael walked off towards his bedroom and stopped to wave his hand through the air.

"It is good to finally meet you, Trina. We never can get Jason to talk much about his dating life but he does say good things about you." Trina's heart lifted up once more and she leaned into Jason. He glanced at her with a bright smile.

"Good to hear that," Trina responded. She took a quick bite of his sandwich, earning her a strange look. It was nice to know Jason wasn't one of the guys who bragged about his sex life, though he looked like the type. It just goes to show that one could never truly judge a book from its cover.

Michael laughed and turned back to his room. "You two are definitely a couple, that's for sure."

Jason glanced up as Michael's door closed. He shut his eyes and shrugged. "What can I say?" He swallowed his bite and glanced at her. "I was tamed."

"Oh were you?" She walked her fingers along his chest and towards his shoulder while leaning up to him. He lowered the sandwich and lifted his eyebrows as she kissed his lips. "You are wearing my sweatpants. Michael may have a point."

He laughed and shook his head. "Ah hush." His eyes trailed to the computer and he lifted the sandwich back up to his mouth. "What are you working on?"

"Just sending Sarah an email. She was talking to me about HBU." Sarah wanted her to look at the college events and see if she might want to check them out. Trina struck the keys and furrowed her brow at the flashing Skype indicator. "I was also talking to Jade. She was explaining to me what happened with Tori and exactly why Beck informed her of our location."

"Okay? I remember you ended up telling the guy because he was with Jade…"

A crease ran along her forehead as her fingers curled inwards. She didn't know how Jason would react to what Beck had said of Sikowitz, or if it even mattered. At the very least, he may not be thrilled. "I told him to stay away from Sikowitz. He said there's a _suspicion_ but it hasn't been proven yet that Sikowitz may have been the teacher that slept with his mother in her final months of prostitution." Jason's mouth opened and he froze with his sandwich midway.

After a few seconds he placed the food on the end table, furrowed his brow and turned to her. His voice slowed into an intense, deep tone while his chest expanded. "That person might be my cousin?"

"It hasn't been proven and I advised Beck not to go to Sikowitz. Knowing your uncle…no matter how much I don't like Beck, I wouldn't subject him to what that man would put him through."

"You are a lot nicer than I am."

"Even you wouldn't do it." She knew better than that. Jason had a good heart, there was no chance in hell if Beck-or anybody else-were his cousin, that he'd let them suffer from his Uncle. "I was just telling Jade, as long as Mr. Sikowitz doesn't know, things are fine."

Jason took a deep breath and moved his hand up to his chin. "That may be true, but you know how much I wanted to find my birth mother? Knowing you're so close to a birth parent and you don't have that confirmation…"

"You know what your uncle would do to him." Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes fell to the laptop as she moved a nervous hand to Jason's leg. "Or what he'd do to you…They wouldn't have any use for you if they had another person."

"Well what do you propose I do? I don't have anything I want to talk to that guy about." He shifted to the right and crossed his arms while grumbling under his breath. "So how does that tie into his telling Tori where you were?"

"Jade says he was going through emotions at the time and Tori started talking about me. He wasn't thinking and he said I was with his 'possible cousin', Jason, at Midwestern. The second he said it, he knew he'd fucked up."

"Damn right he did. All that guy's been doing over the last few years was making your life miserable." She narrowed her eyes and smacked the back of her hand on his chest.

"Jason!" He rubbed his chest and tightened his jaw as she pulled away from him. "He might be your cousin."

"Doesn't mean I have to like him. Plus, there's no confirmation. What do I care for a guy that pushed you around and lied to your father?" She saw his eyes soften for a second and her lip turned up into a slight smirk. He cared, but he didn't want to admit.

"Because even if I don't like someone, I'm not going to let them go through hell." Instinctively she maximized the Skype browser where Jason could see the conversation. At some point she and Jade had been discussing the spiral Beck's been going through. "The man is on bad terms with his dad right now, they've been fighting and he wants to find out who his birth father is so he can try and have a relationship with the guy. If it is Sikowitz, and that's a very strong possibility…"

"Fuck." Jason rolled his eyes and reached over for the laptop. "Let me see this thing." She relaxed her muscles and let him have the computer. "How do you start a video chat on this? I see you doing it all the time."

"You're still not good with computers?"

"Nope." She laughed and clicked the video call button. It was a round blue button with a camera. Jason's face fell and his eyes narrowed. "Stupid computer." She shook her head and leaned against him, watching as the video call opened. Jade's eyes widened and lips parted slightly. Trina waved her fingers and Jade's mouth tugged back with a small chuckle.

"I wasn't expecting Jason," she replied.

"Is Beck around?" Jade leaned back, her fingers tapping on the flat end of her laptop.

"He is in the other room right now. Would you like me to get him?"

"Yes." She got up and Jason rubbed his palm along his forehead. "Why am I bothering with this?" Within a few minutes, Beck was sitting down. The minute he looked at the camera, his entire body tensed. Jason narrowed his eyes and curled his lip into a dangerous smirk. "Hey there Cuz', remember me?" Trina smacked his chest and he let out a quick grunt.

Beck's shoulders fell and he closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "Yeah. Come to yell at me about doing more shit to your girlfriend? I didn't realize she was dating someone who might be my own cousin. I wouldn't-"

Jason lifted his hand up and cut him off. "None of that. I don't think either of us want to think about that." He breathed in sharply. "Trina told me you think Uncle Sikowitz is your birth father. In which case, she was right to tell you to stay away from him."

"Why? I mean, I know she said he wasn't a good person and all-"

"He let three of you get beat up just to try and sway me to be a fighter." Beck's eyebrows curled upwards and the corners of his mouth sank with his face. "In my family you have to be some professional fighter, to be famous and the best. If you refuse to go the traditional family route you're shamed, disowned, or in some cases killed…"

"You can't be serious."

"My uncle and dad had a younger brother who wanted nothing to do with fighting. Because Uncle Erwin and dad went ahead and followed the route, their brother 'mysteriously' drove off a cliff. The only reason _I'm_ not dead is because there's no other person in my generation. If Uncle Erwin, he's going to think you're his son and start driving you like they do me."

"And what have they done?"

Jason moved the laptop to Trina's lap and removed his shirt. She frowned and looked to Beck who watched in horror as the many scars seemed to glint in the sunlight. "Since I was a kid. They've struck me, pointed weapons at me, and have done everything in their power to turn me into a big time fighter. They kept me away from friends, away from pretty much everything-I lived and breathed to fight. No matter how cheesy it may sound, like something you'd hear from the movies: I truly was destined to live and die in the arena."

Beck cringed and lowered his voice to a pitiful whisper. "So…what changed?" Jason tilted his head towards Trina and Beck's nose scrunched into his face.

"She's sittin' right here. Pissed my Uncle and Father off when I left camp." He laughed and Trina raised an eyebrow. "The very last day even, when they went to pick me up, she walked right up to them and called them a pair of assholes. Her words were actually 'a couple of ball-less nut sacks'."

Trina cleared her throat and Beck roared with laughter. "That would explain his problem with her."

"Yeah." He put his arm around her shoulders and looked at her with a grin. "I think that was the point of time I knew for sure that I loved her." Her cheeks flared up and she looked away in hopes to conceal her blush. "So Beck, how serious are you wanting to know?"

"I don't know." Beck crossed his arms and frowned. "I really just want to have that sense of closure. I guess I just want to know."

"Well your mom was-"

"A prostitute. Yeah."

Jason closed his eyes and slouched. "Unfortunately that's pretty typical of how Uncle Erwin was back then. I don't know if he still solicits, but it could very well be that he was that guy. I know my dad stopped sleeping around when he had me."

"You found your mom? I think Trina mentioned to Jade that you were looking for her."

"I found her, yes. So I know how you feel."

Trina studied the sullen expressions on the men and tried to think of anything she could say to offer an olive branch of some sort. She recalled some of the various things her stepmom talked about and stumbled upon a possible solution but wasn't sure if they'd be willing to try.

"It is possible to find out without alerting Mr. Sikowitz knowing." Jason and Beck raised their eyebrows. She was bewildered by their confused expressions. "You two could always have a DNA test. There will be matching alleles, or whatever the term is, they just have to test more stuff than they would if it were a father or mom." She reached over Jason, stealing his sandwich and took a bite out of it. His eyebrows moved together and she smirked while chewing. "Good sandwich."

"Of course."

"Anyway, it's something I heard Holly talk about once. You two could always get together and have a DNA test. I know you two may not like each other that much, but if it puts to rest that question of whether or not Sikowitz is the father…"

"I don't know if it's that important," Beck waved his hand in front of his face and exhaled slowly. "I want to know, but knowing how Mr. Sikowitz is…I think maybe the mystery would be better than the truth."

"Some days it can be." Jason looked over as Trina took yet another bite of the sandwich. "I'm going to have to make myself another sandwich, aren't I? I thought you didn't like mayonnaise?"

"I don't," Trina marveled in her amazement. She adored the taste of the pepper and mix of spicy sauce beneath the ham and cheese. It took away from the foul taste of mayonnaise, or rather, complimented it. "You peppered it, added some hot sauce…I love it!"

"Geez, I only wonder what would have happened if I added jalapeno peppers. I don't even have jalapenos to put on."

"I'd eat that!"

"Of course." He smiled at her and looked back to Beck, who was busy cracking up. "Women, am I right?"

"Jade is the same way," Beck retorted. Jade smacked his shoulder and Trina laughed. "I'll make myself something to eat, or something I think she won't eat, and she eats it when I'm not even looking. At least your lady eats it right from under your nose."

Jason pulled Trina close and kissed her right temple while she licked some sauce off her fingers. She raised her shoulders and smiled at him while snuggling close. "That's another thing Beck. If Sikowitz knew you were his son, he probably would immediately try to tear you apart from Jade. I can't imagine being without Trina, and I only just found her again."

"I found _you_," Trina smirked.

"Luck of the draw. You weren't even looking." Trina closed one eye and just as he opened his mouth, she stuffed the rest of the sandwich inside. He let out a muffled grunt and she grinned triumphantly.

"That shut him up."

Beck cleared his throat and pointed at the screen, "Dude you got a little something." Jason raised an eyebrow and glanced down at his chest. To Trina's delight, sauce had shot out from the sandwich and landed on him. Her chest thumped and her grin grew sly. "Oh no."

Trina reached over and cupped her hand over the top of the laptop. "Beck, Jade. Jason and I will get back to you." She set her other hand to Jason's side and locked eyes with him. His eyebrows pushed up into his forehead as she leaned close to his lips. She shut the laptop, ignoring the protests of the two on the other end.

* * *

So Jason and Beck have chatted, so far seeming civil. Hey, did you know Jason really was the very first person I ever paired Trina with? _Price of Desire_ and its sequel, it was Jason-he's becoming my favorite person to pair her with XD.


	37. Disowned

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 37 (Disowned)

"Why would you hit your sister?" Holly's shrill voice stung Trina's eardrums as she held the phone up. Her stomach was clenching and bile was rising up her throat as her stepmom chided her for the fight she and Tori had gotten into the other day. "Not to mention you've been lying to us. You're going to some school in Texas so you can have sex, is that it?"

"Of course not." She could feel her blood hardening with anger. She didn't know what to tell the woman, especially when she knew she wouldn't even listen. "I have to do my own thing."

"You're just ungrateful!"

"How am I ungrateful?" She walked around the kitchen counter and looked up to Lindsay. Lindsay was at the couch, watching her with a long face. "I can't do anything to please you people! You refuse to even hear my side of the story."

"Your side? You hit your sister! You know better."

"Seriously? She wasn't listening to me either. Maybe if she actually tried to be more of a sister to me-"

"Tried? Katrina Vega we have done nothing but try, and each time, you treat us like shit!" She pulled the phone from her ear and rolled her eyes. She couldn't figure out why the woman played the victim, or acted like she was perfect.

"You're joking right? You reject all my calls, never call me back and you accuse me of not trying hard enough to maintain contact?" Her voice started to rise, stopping only when she heard the woman scoff. "Quit playing the victim, you know damn well you don't try! I'm sorry I can't be the perfect little girl Tori is!" She sneered and narrowed her eyes.

"You need help." Trina leaned over the counter, tapping her left hand anxiously on the countertop. Her stomach lurched and her jaw tightened in place. "Remember you're the one that lied to us and went off to Midwestern, and then your sister goes to visit you and you attack her. You need help."

"Wh-" Her eyes widened and her jaw hung as her stepmother clicked her tongue. "Attacked? She fucking attacked me! She attacked my boyfriend too!"

"You know what? Maybe you don't need a boyfriend right now. Where do you get off going after someone your sister told you she was attracted to?"

"What! Where's dad, I want to talk to him."

"I'm sorry sweetie, he's at work right now." No he wasn't, she knew his schedule well enough. He would be off and watching Law & Order. Trina's muscles tensed and a growl left her throat.

"I just heard him talking to Tori five minutes ago while you were going on your little tirade. Who's lying now, Holly? This is why I came to Midwestern, because you can't see past your own hypocrisy. All you see is how perfect you think you and your daughter are, and you have the audacity to tell me I must be a nurse like you."

"You're not studying nursing either?" The woman gasped and Trina rolled her eyes once more. Her index finger tapped anxiously on the table and her breathing became shallow.

"Of course you focus on one small part of that and ignore everything else. Why is it so hard for you to see outside of your own view and your own self?" She was as bad as Mr. Sikowitz and Harold, but if she said that, it would only make things worse. "Why doesn't dad ever speak up?"

"Because he knows how selfish you act. He agrees with us, Trina."

"Like hell he does!" Holly was probably correct, Trina had no proof otherwise. The man could stand up for her at least once. Tears scorched her eyes and cheeks and her heart rate increased with her voice. "You screen my calls don't you? You keep him from calling me."

"Where _are_ these accusations coming from?" She heard something slam on the countertop and waited for her stepmother to collect herself. "Listen here Katrina. We had a talk last night. About you." She furrowed her brow and closed her hand. Her throat tightened as her instincts told her to hang up the phone. Likely that wouldn't be a solution for anything. "We're done with you." Her lips pressed tight as the oxygen in the air zapped away from her and her world decayed.

Those two words struck her with more force than any physical attack she ever felt. "W-What does that mean?"

"We've had enough. We're sick of you acting so high and mighty, we're tired of you abusing us and your father. You had the audacity to strike your sister, lie about where you are, and apparently you're just off having sex and not even going into nursing-"

"I told you a million times I can't stand the sight of blood." She tried to conceal her trembling body by moving around and walking to the fridge. When she looked over, she saw Lindsay studying her carefully. "I'm studying history and criminal justice."

"Please. You're just on a road going nowhere. We're not paying your way through college anymore. Sorry. You want to be on your own, you're on your own. Since you can't even maintain a relationship with your father, don't call. We're through. Unless you decide to be a good daughter."

Her hand gripped the handle of the fridge tightly as her chest and stomach clenched. Disbelief and anger wrapped around her, constricting her and forcing the air from her lungs. Holly's words wrapped around her throat like icy fingers choking her.

"Have a good life, Trina. We're done with this emotional rollercoaster ride of yours. You really think yourself so important. Get a reality check, then come see us." She could hear her dad in the background, but once again he was only answering a question from Tori.

"How about letting me talk to my Dad? What's his opinion of this?"

"I told you we already discussed this. We're not putting any more funds in your account. Find a way to finish school yourself. Good luck."

"So that's it? Just like that? It comes that easily to you?"

"No it doesn't, but unfortunately this is the only way to get through to you. We do love you, but there's just no other way. Bye." Before she could respond, Holly hung up the phone. Her heart stopped as she stumbled back against the fridge and stared down at the phone.

She saw her friend stand up from the couch. Her vision blurred from the tears as her heart slammed into her chest and heaviness descended upon her. Her trembling body sank to the ground and her hand moved up to her head, clenching her hair as a sob vibrated from her chest.

"Trina?" Lindsay's arms wrapped around her, but the girl couldn't console her.

"They just…" A fire sparked in her chest and she gripped her stomach, struggling to push down the violent urge to vomit as her stress shot up to heightened levels. "D-Dad wouldn't."

Lindsay grabbed a rag from the oven and tried to wipe away the tears drenching her face. "It's okay. Just take a deep breath."

"Can't." She struggled to breathe, but it still felt as though someone was strangling the life out of her. "Can't breathe." Her body was in immense pain.

"Do I need to call the campus emergency?"

"N-No." She buried her head into her face and pulled her knees to her chest, weeping bitterly. "I hate them. I fucking hate them."

"It's okay. I'm here for you." Lindsay continued to hold her, rocking with her. She'd never had a panic attack before, and while she expected something like this to happen, she never thought it actually would. Fear struck her like a heavy blow to her stomach. What was she going to do? How could she continue her schooling? Yes she planned for scholarships, grants, loans and whatever other aid she could find, but not so soon.

How could her own family treat her this way? How could she trust anyone if she couldn't trust her own family? She wanted desperately to believe her father was against Holly in this, but he couldn't have had a say at all if he wasn't even protesting.

"You don't need them, Trina. You don't." Lindsay pried the phone from Trina's fingers and looked down at it with narrow eyes. A pang struck Trina's heart as she looked up to see her friend dialing a number.

"Wh-What are you doing?"

Someone answered and Lindsay's face grew stern, her eyes darkened and her voice snapped like a vicious dog barking at an enemy. "I hope you're fucking happy, Mr. Vega!" Her heart stopped and she froze, too paralyzed to move as Lindsay continued to cuss out her father. "You're a prime as fuck father, choosing your fucked up stepfamily over your own blood! I bet Sherry's goddamn proud to see you letting some bitch ass skinny as fuck second wife kick around the daughter you two had together! Congrats on disowning Sherry's daughter, you can go to hell with the whole lot of them!"

Lindsay held the phone out to Trina, who could only muster up a pitiful whimper. A shuddering sob fell from her lips and she turned away as Lindsay pulled the phone back. "Hear that? That's your flesh and blood learning you don't give a fuck. Be proud! You don't keep up communication and you have the audacity to let those two accuse her of doing that exact thing? Fucking hypocrites! All of you!"

"L-Lindsay enough. Please…He's still my dad…"

"The fuck he is." Lindsay hit the end call button and set the phone off to the side. "A dad wouldn't let his daughter get beat down like this." Trina leaned into Lindsay's chest. She felt pathetic and weak for crying over this, why would she be so stupid? Lindsay rubbed her back and tightened her hug around her. "Look, you're going to be okay. I know you will."

"How? What can I do? My whole family hates me."

"No they don't. You know that. Your Aunt Diane and Uncle George, your cousins…they love you."

"I'm just a burden to all of them." She blew her nose into a Kleenex and threw it into the nearby trash bin. "I can't do anything right!" Lindsay set her chin on top of Trina's head and continued to hold her tight. The hug was comforting, and Trina was slowly calming down, but her body was still rigid.

"That isn't true, Trina. You know that more than anyone. Don't let what they say or do get to you, you're better than that. Better than what they think about you." She gave a partial smile and shook her head.

"That worked with Marcus, but this is my own family."

"Well if you think about it, your own family didn't disown you. I don't care what condition your father's in, your stepfamily did this."

"And he chose them, Lindsay!" She pulled herself up and wiped her face. "I'm nothing to him, nothing to anyone." Lindsay stood up and looked into her eyes. Trina's breath hitched and her nostrils flared slowly. "It hurts…"

"I know it does. Look. You're my best friend, Jason's girlfriend. If you were nothing, neither of us would give a damn about you." She chuckled once as Lindsay once more brought the rag to her tears. Trina hugged her arms and turned away.

"I can't relax. I can't calm down."

"No? I think I know how to get you to lessen that anxiety." Lindsay swept her bangs away from her tear filled stare. Trina's eyes dropped to the floor and her shoulders rose. "How would you like to spar with me?"

Trina hesitated and glanced over with a sudden, slight gasp. Lindsay's mouth cocked into a smirk and her eyebrows lifted up. It had been so long since Trina sparred with Lindsay. The girl was a challenge, more so than Jason in the sense that she'd never actually beat Lindsay.

"I'm an emotional wreck."

Lindsay took a step back and spread her arms out to the side, grinning widely. "That's the best time to spar, and you know it. Besides, I want to see if you're at my level yet." She knew Trina couldn't resist a challenge, and as much as Trina was attempting to do just that, it was a struggle.

Lindsay was the one that taught her everything she knew, and more. There was a reason that her nickname in the club was 'chameleon' as well. Trina sniffed and closed her eyes. "Okay. Where then?"

"Let's jog over to the quad." Lindsay pat her shoulder and guided her to the front door. "Forget about your stepmother for a while."

"I'll try."

"If this doesn't get rid of your anxiety, I'm calling Jason."

"How's that going to help?"

Lindsay put her hands behind her head and shrugged. "Sometimes a boyfriend is more soothing than a best friend." Trina chuckled softly and gazed ahead. Once they were outside, Lindsay locked the door and took a few steps ahead of Trina. "Race you there. First one there gets the first move."

"What?"

"You heard me." She took off, leaving Trina bewildered and startled. Pushing the violent phone call from her mind, Trina ran after Lindsay.

* * *

It all comes crashing down, but hopefully Lindsay can help her to calm down some.


	38. The Chameleon

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:HEY! I just realized something! Blow to my pride as a missed continuity issue. Just got done with a mandatory RA meeting with the apartment RA's: They do not allow guests in the doors _AT ALL_. The guests first have to be cleared with the front desk first. Hmm Sikowitz and Harold can't get into Sundance, in other words XD. Enjoy the chapter

* * *

Chapter 38 (The Chameleon)

Trina arrived at the quad, adrenaline was rushing through her body and cooling her tense and burning muscles. She moved towards the fountain, looking around to see if she could locate Lindsay, but it was obvious as she thought that she wouldn't be able to.

She prepared herself by moving into a slow stance. Her eyes narrowed and she kept her back to the fountain. "Okay. Need to calm down." She closed her eyes and drew in a shaky breath while listening for any sounds of movement. Fortunately the quad was empty enough that she could separate the sounds of small animals or leaves rustling from the sounds of human movement.

To her right she heard a quick shuffle. Her eyes opened and she twisted to the right, moving her forearms in an X over her chest, blocking a sudden knife hand strike from Lindsay. The girl held her gaze and smirked. She'd hidden behind the fountain, crouched low, and ran around the perimeter while still crouched.

Trina's eyes widened and her breathing stilled as Lindsay tilted her head to the left. "Nice catch." This was how Lindsay was so superior, she always used her environment to her advantage. Trina pushed forward, slashing her arms outwards. Lindsay leapt backwards, landing on the grass and digging her heels into the dirt. "Now keep up, this isn't going to be like fighting Jason."

"I know. He says you're better than him, you must have sparred."

"I have. Why do you think I'm the one nobody wants to fight? I don't enter tournaments." Trina locked her wrists in place and spread her legs apart with her right behind her and her left in front. "That's what they say in the club. Chameleon took down the Wolf."

"Well. Jason's sense of smell has never been the best." She knew better than to rush Lindsay. She wouldn't charge and Lindsay wouldn't either. She had to be fast when sparring against her friend. "I'm a little surprised you'd choose an open area."

"It isn't open. There are trees and shrubs everywhere." Lindsay shot behind a large tree and Trina tensed while studying it. Trees were perfectly scattered about, making it easy to jump from one to the next. Then there was the bush that framed the circle and fountain.

_"I need to get out of this spot."_ She caught movement when Lindsay jumped from behind the tree and next to another. After a second leap, Trina lost sight of her. Her heart stalled and she shook her head. _"No. Breathe easy, don't let her catch you off guard."_

Trina crouched low and slowly moved forward, keeping her eyes glued on the small gap between the bushes. Lindsay could very well hide behind them, but only on the right or left. Trina breathed in slowly and waited for any sound.

The cool wind caressed her cheek and whistled in her ear while the tree leaves rustled on the right. Exhaling, Trina took a careful step out, but did not see Lindsay on either side. Her heart stopped and several light footsteps embraced her from behind.

She spun around in time to see Lindsay rushing for her. The woman kicked forward and Trina shot her arm down, deflecting the leg. Another kick came on her right and she blocked it. Lindsay then followed up with a high left kick. Trina threw her head up and tangled her fingers together, catching Lindsay's heel in her palms. She pushed up and Lindsay spun in the air, putting her hands on the ground and glancing back. To Trina's shock, the girl kicked backwards, forcing Trina to jump back.

At that, Lindsay once more took off into the trees. "Shit!" With moves like this, it wasn't hard to see how Jason could have been bested. "Come on Lindsay, stop jumping out of nowhere." How was she supposed to beat someone who was jumping out of nowhere? The best way to defeat a chameleon was to lead them out into the open.

"Okay." She breathed out slowly and made her way into the trees. To her right, Lindsay was hiding behind one. Seeing opportunity, Trina made the mistake of rushing for her. Lindsay fell back as Trina pounced on her. The girl's lip tucked up into a smirk and she grabbed ahold of Trina's jacket.

"Bad move, Tri." She grunted as Lindsay's knees jabbed her stomach. Lindsay rolled onto her back and Trina flew over her, grasping her stomach and rolling along the grass. "You can't just tackle me like you can Jason."

"Yeah, I'm remembering that." Trina pushed herself up on one arm and two legs . She looked up to Lindsay and sucked the air in through her teeth. She loosened her body and watched as Lindsay approached her. Thinking fast, she swayed to the side and grabbed Lindsay's collar, pulling back and throwing the girl behind her.

She pushed herself up and kicked towards Lindsay, who immediately rolled off to the side and rushed back into hiding. Trina smacked her foot onto the ground and narrowed her eyes. "You're fast, Lindsay. I'll give you that."

Lindsay poked her head into view, her eyebrow was arched up and her face long. "Who the hell do you think taught you how to be agile?"

"Right." Trina slipped behind a tree and scrunched her body inwards. "Two can play at this." Her heart pounded in her chest as she clenched her eyes and inhaled slowly.

The sound of leaves and sticks crunching hit her and she opened her eyes halfway, glancing to the right. The sound grew closer. She held her left hand upwards, extending her palm out. She threw herself around the tree, pushing her left hand forward and colliding with Lindsay's hand. Lindsay smirked at her and immediately shot a side kick towards her.

Trina jumped to avoid it and threw a right hook that Lindsay deflected and countered with a left uppercut. Trina leaned backwards and thrust a sharp front kick that pushed Lindsay back.

Her heart began racing as walked in a circle with the girl, both staring each other down and preparing for a lunge. "I have to admit." Lindsay huffed as her eyes studied Trina's body. "For someone who claims to be rusty, you've gotten a lot better since I moved."

"Let's not forget I've been sparring Jason nonstop since I got here."

"Sex doesn't count as sparring."

"Funny." Trina laughed and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "We don't do it that much."

"How often, if I can ask?"

"Maybe three times a week." Lindsay belted out a laugh and sharpened her gaze.

"Oh yeah that's not often at all." Lindsay took a step forward and Trina's eyes darted to her foot. She retracted her foot and scoffed. Trina's gaze trailed the girl's body, but to her disdain she wasn't seeing any openings. "How about tonight, will you and Jason be making love?"

"Not in the mood to. Our relationship isn't all about sex."

"Good. At least he treats you right. I don't have to kick his ass."

"Well I did ask you not to."

"And you think I'm going to listen?" Trina chuckled. She stopped moving and straightened her back, Lindsay did the same. The following attacks both made were a series of punches, kicks and blocks. The flurry went on for some time, with both pushing the other back.

Trina had landed many successful hits, but Lindsay had as well. Trina lead with a downward punch Lindsay once more blocked by crossing her arms over her chest. She countered with a punch towards her chest and Trina blocked it with the palm of her hand.

She tried to sidestep around Lindsay to strike her back, but Lindsay turned and deflected her. It was clear what worked on Jason wouldn't work on her. "I taught you everything you know, remember that."

"I can still bring you down." She swept the brow from her forehead and rushed forward. Lindsay rushed towards her and swung her arm out with her, both clashing in the center.

"I heard you beat Jason, and I commend you for that." Lindsay turned and Trina shrugged.

"It was a challenge, but I learned from the best."

"Damn right." Lindsay moved her hands to her hips and raised an eyebrow. "We're pretty evenly matched it seems."

"Not quite." Seeing the opening, Trina took advantage. Lindsay's eyes widened as she darted forward, crouched, then performed a low sweeping kick at Lindsay's legs. The girl flung onto her chest and looked back with a yelp as Trina flung on top of her and placed her knuckles between her shoulders. She pulled her head back and laughed in triumph. "I win! You let down your guard, you thought you had me beat."

"Not bad, not bad at all." Lindsay coughed as she moved her hands up to push herself. "Now get off me please." Trina obliged and reached down to pull her up. As she did, Lindsay yanked her down and moved her foot onto her back. Trina gasped out and looked up nervously. "Never ever expect the opponent has admitted defeat until you're absolutely sure they're done."

"Damn it!" Trina pushed herself up and sighed heavily, admitting her own defeat. "You win then. Next time though."

"I don't know, you could have beaten me, I'd say we're pretty even. How do you feel? Better?"

"Yeah I do." She was definitely calmer now but it still hurt to remember the phone call. It felt unreal, but she understood there was absolutely nothing she could do to change the circumstances. "What am I going to do, Lindsay?"

"Well I'll tell you what you're not going to do." Trina raised an eyebrow as Lindsay pat her shoulder and walked past her. "You're not going to blame your entire family when this was your stepmom's doing. Maybe call up your aunt and uncle. Let them know what happened."

"What could they do?"

"Comfort you. They seem like smart, logical, reasonable people. Maybe they could even talk to them."

"No. I thought maybe I could start involving my dad and stepfamily again but I was wrong. I don't want anything more to do with them now." The tears were fighting to come back, but not as feverish as before. She shook her head and looked up to see someone rushing to the quad in the distance. Her eyes squinted and Lindsay held her hand above her eyes as a shield.

"Oh I texted Jason too." Her heart thumped as Jason grew closer. She started to smile as a tear ran down her face. "I told him you would need him and you were having a bad day. Said it was urgent and we were sparring in the quad."

"What'd I miss?" Jason asked as he grew closer. Trina wasted no time running into his arms and hugging him tight. His arms moved around her and he gazed quizzically at her. "You okay? You and Lindsay have a sparring match and I was too late? Damn."

"She's a good fight," Lindsay replied, "She needed it though. She needs you too, I've done what I can." It was a good thing he was here. They'd questioned whether or not to have him go to LA to see Beck about DNA testing but decided to have Beck come their way as it was safer and away from Sikowitz.

"What happened, Trina?"

"Long story." She took a deep breath and set her head onto his chest. She didn't want to get into it right away. "For now, just hold me." He pressed his lips together and nodded. Lindsay smiled at the two and sat down on the edge of the fountain, fiddling with her cell phone. "I'll tell you later…"

* * *

So the infamous Lindsay's seen sparring for the first time, and she/s pretty damn good. Looks like Jason's there to comfort, so that's a plus. This chapter's a bit short and I don't mind giving you a little something extra, so...I'll give you 39 (I'll be honest. 39 and 38 were kinda meant to go together)


	39. Keep Moving On

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 39 (Keep Moving On)

"What will I do after college?" This was a question that weighed heavily on her soul. She wanted to be around her family now that she thought about them, but her thoughts were on their dismissal of her. Though no one said it outwardly, she had a gut feeling that nobody really would care for her. "I've tried to be myself, I've tried to be who they want to see, but nobody seems to react positively to either."

"I don't know about that," Jason hugged her close on the couch while Lindsay worked on something in the kitchen. Trina's brow furrowed and her lips tugged back into a frown. "Look, you're on good terms with your Aunt, Uncle and Cousins. If they really didn't want you around, would they honestly bother to talk to you?"

"I know. It's just what happened with Dad that's bugging me."

"You'll get past that." She couldn't keep doubting her relatives based on what one part of her family did, she knew Jason and Lindsay were trying to tell her that. "I know it's hard to see, especially when one family member treats you like shit it can be hard to trust others. You just have to weed through all the shit and see good."

"That can't be easy for you to say." He chuckled and leaned his head back on the couch, shrugging gently.

"True, but your family seems a lot easier to communicate with-aside from that stepfamily." She rubbed her arms and exhaled gently. Jason kissed the top of her head. "I know I'm not the best at comfort, but you know I'm here for you." Her eyes closed over and she drew in a slow breath.

"You comfort me just fine. Between you and Lindsay, you do a pretty good job of things." She looked from him to Lindsay, her heart lifting as the two reassured her with a smile. "Of course, you always comfort me the way you do, Lindsay takes the aggressive route and gives people hell." Jason laughed and Lindsay put her hands to her hips. "She cursed out my grandpa, my dad, and always ends up calling people when I don't her to. Texting people, even, like you."

"Best thing to do sometimes," Lindsay said while grabbing a carton of milk from the fridge. "And it helps you too."

"I just need to keep my phone away from you."

Her friend cackled. "I know what you _need_ to get for healing. I'm your best friend. I know you, and I also know that if I _don't_ give you something you need-"

"She won't go for the help at all," Jason added.

"Exactly!" Trina rolled her eyes and playfully nudged Jason in the ribcage. After a minute, she checked her pocket for her phone and froze when she couldn't find it.

"My phone. Lindsay! What did you do with it?" Lindsay returned the carton to the fridge and shrugged. Her lips parted and she leaned back, startled. If Lindsay didn't have the phone, then who? She heard the sound of a touchtone and glanced at Jason with wide eyes. "W-What are you doing?"

"Giving you someone you need to talk to." He smirked and Trina moaned when she saw Sarah being called. The phone was on speaker as well, so she couldn't grab the phone while it was ringing.

"I don't want to talk to my family right now!"

"You may not want to, but you need to." Before she could argue, Lindsay ran over and gave Jason a high five. She was immediately disheartened. Her best friend and boyfriend were on the same team for once, so there was truly no chance in arguing.

"Fine." She heard Sarah answer, then clammed up as Jason set the phone in her lap. Jason put his arm around her shoulders and leaned over, once more kissing her temple.

"Don't let one bad egg ruin the entire bunch. You may have heard the phrase before, but there's truth to it. Your dad, stepmom and stepsister may be a bunch of negligent assholes, but the rest aren't."

Lindsay crossed her arms and Trina looked up to her. "He's right. I know after what happened with them, you went right back to not trusting the rest of your family." She had slowly been working her way to trusting her relatives, only to have her stepmom crush everything in one blow. "Look at it this way, as well. Your Aunts, Uncles, Cousins-they're on your mother's side. No obligation to your dad or steps."

"Okay, okay, I know." She picked up the phone and answered Sarah with a hesitant, shaky breath. "Sarah. Hi."

"Trina? Are you okay? You don't sound like you're doing well." There was some noise in the background as well as laughter. "Danielle and Jonah are watching a show, I'll move."

"You don't have to."

"Yeah but I want to." She took a deep breath and listened as the background noise receded.

"I talked to Holly a few hours ago. It…wasn't good." She held her breath and Sarah's tone grew serious, but with hints of concern laced in.

"What happened? Are you okay?" She shook her head and swept away a tear.

"She cut me off. They disowned me."

"What!" She flinched at the anger in Sarah's voice. Her heart lifted a bit out of the muck it was in and her lips curved upwards. It was good to hear the concern. "How could they do that? Trina, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I just don't know what I'm going to do now. They won't help with college anymore. I can get scholarships and grants somewhere most likely, and loans, but I was hoping to avoid them as long as I could." It was going to be hell trying to find ways to get ahead, but she'd have to. "I thought things were getting better. I'm sick of everyone tossing me aside like a used napkin."

"It's going to be okay, Trina." The truth was, it wasn't going to be alright. She didn't want to be abandoned anymore, and honestly was trusting people less when it came to staying or leaving her. "Just remember, you don't need them to be happy. I know sometimes I don't have the best thing to say…"

"It's alright, it just feels good talking to someone." Her mother's side of the family did have a tendency to be lost when it came to advice, but she could deal with that more than if they were to brush her off entirely. "At least you're making an effort."

"That's what I try to do, anyway." Usually they wanted to stay out of family drama, but this time around was different. Trina had never been fully disowned like that. "I can't believe Uncle David would let that happen. Mom's going to try and talk to them." She froze upon thinking of Aunt Diane contacting them, she didn't want to get jumped on because of this.

"I don't know. If Aunt Dee calls them, Holly might get mad at me for talking about this to you."

"I think mom will be able to get them to calm down. If not, there's always othe things that can be dealt with." There was a brief pause before Sarah spoke up again, this time with a slight cheer to her tone. "Hey Trina, you remember when we were young? I'm looking at some old pictures and there's a Christmas photo of us singing karaoke together, six years old."

"We did a lot of stuff together growing up."

"I know." Trina's lips curled into a smile and she threw her legs up onto the couch while leaning into Jason. "I still remember when we played baseball in the back with that toy bat, we knocked the ball over the fence and you went over to get it."

"Mom was so mad!" Sarah laughed. Trina looked back on the memory with great fondness. Aunt Diane scolded Sarah for climbing into someone else's yard and potentially getting hurt from going over the fence. "I don't remember how I even got up over that thing. Wasn't the plain side facing us? There wasn't anywhere to put my feet."

"Who knows." She took a deep breath then hummed to herself. "We've really grown up since those years. A lot's changed."

"You're still my cousin though, and I care about you. Sometimes you say your family cares only because they have to, or there's some sort of obligation because of relation, but you don't have to. I don't think that closeness we used to have is gone. I mean, yes we've grown out of a lot of stuff, but that shouldn't change anything. I'm always going to be here if you need me, just know you can count on that. Mom and Dad too, you can rely on them-same with Jonah and Danielle. I love you, Cuz."

Her heart shot up and she nodded slowly, "Love you too Cuz." It was their nickname for one another. At some point years ago, Trina started calling Sarah 'The Cuz' as a sign of endearment. She was always the favorite, and at one point in High School Sarah became the only relative to cross over the line she had between friends and family and was her best friend.

"You guys are all my favorite. Uncle George, Aunt Dee…My boyfriend is the forgetful one in the relationship, but I guess when it comes to how I view you. I'm sorry that I'm forgetful."

"It's fine, Trina. We know you're struggling with a lot. What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?"

"I don't know. I know I'm not going to California. I don't want to go anywhere, to be honest."

"Should come to Houston."

"I'll think about it." She had no desire to leave the campus during the holidays. Lindsay wasn't going to be here, and the other roommates would be taking trips elsewhere. "I'll have the entire apartment to myself."

Lindsay was ahead of her in terms of college, so she was graduating at the end of this current semester. It was heartbreaking, but she'd cope. "You should go see them," Lindsay remarked from the kitchen. Trina raised an eyebrow at her and watched as the girl leaned over the counter. "You know damn well my own family lives down there."

"Don't they live in Katy, Lindsay? Where's that?"

"Katy is a thirty minute drive from here," Sarah answered. Lindsay nodded and Trina leaned back, startled by the admission. She always thought Lindsay moved to Dallas, but regardless, it was nice to hear that Lindsay was close to Houston. It didn't help that Houston was several hours from where she was at.

Lindsay sipped a glass of water, keeping her eyes just over the rim and peering into Trina's. "I'm moving back in with them next semester. I'll probably get a job teaching in Houston." Houston was one of the best places in Texas to find a job right now.

"Still don't want you to move, Linds."

"Hey, you got Jason. Just try not to have _too_ much fun without me here to keep you in check." Jason sighed and Trina laughed.

She was grateful for the three of them, talking her up and distracting her from the anxiety that struck her. Holly wasn't going to win this, she wasn't going to get the satisfaction of ruining Trina's life or her future. She'd just keep pushing onward.

* * *

Aw man, Lindsay's moving. That sucks. At least the conversation with Sarah was a comfort. True Trina doesn't want to do anything for Thanksgiving. I can't help but to wonder if Trina's aunt, uncle, and cousins are going to let that fly. Hmm


	40. Familial Connections

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 40 (Familial Connections)

A few days later, Beck and Jade arrived to deal with the DNA testing with Jason. The group were holding the results on the table at the Texas Roadhouse, anxiously avoiding them while eating dinner. "So what if there's a positive match?" Beck asked as he cut his steak and looked towards the brown envelope.

"Then we're cousins," Jason shrugged with nonchalance and took a bite of his o=n steak. Beck frowned at him and Trina quickly nudged his ribs. She shot him a look and he rolled his eyes. She knew Beck was overly anxious, so right now he needed to hear support. Even if Jason didn't like him, if they were cousins, it meant they were family one way or another.

He set his silverware down and folded his hands over the plate, then peered out above his knuckles. "Beck, look. If it's positive, that just means we're cousins and Uncle Psycho is your father. In all honesty, there's nothing more that can be done-but just having that knowledge is probably all that you need to go on. You're free to contact him, but I strongly recommend you don't."

"The way he sounds…I probably won't." Beck inhaled and moved his gaze away from the envelope. "I just want to stop worrying about it. I never imagined Mr. Sikowitz might be the man that got my mom pregnant. Hell, I learned a lot of things from the guy I thought was my dad."

"Like?"

"Like he never actually married my mom, and he only took care of her because she couldn't find a husband. You've heard of the phrase 'my sister's keeper'? He was just her brother, that's why I look so much like him."

Trina looked towards Jade, who frowned instantly. "Back then no one was willing to marry a prostitute. I think it's bullshit, but apparently that's what my mother went through. My own uncle kept up the lie because he was 'protecting me' from the truth…"

"He may have been right," Trina suggested. Beck and Jason looked towards her and she shrugged. "Maybe he knew Sikowitz was the guy and realized he was dangerous. Or maybe he didn't want you to know your mom had gotten pregnant from her days of prostitution."

"There are a lot of possibilities," Jade moved her hand over Beck's and looked into his eyes with a reassuring smile. "It's better not to try and think about all of them because it doesn't matter what was…What is done is done and the future can be dealt with." She pointed to the envelope and Trina picked it up.

"I'll read the results if you'd like. You guys can figure out where to go after that." Jason nodded and Beck tensed. She could see the beads of sweat forming on his forehead, a mixture from the hot lamp above him. He glanced to Jason and pressed his lips together as the man casually took another bite.

She unfolded the flap and started to reach in for the papers. "Trina, hang on a minute." Her eyes flicked up and Beck was still looking at Jason. He pulled his arm back and took a deep breath. "I just-before you read those results, I want to say something. To you, to Jason…" Jason opened his eyes and grunted while chewing his food.

Jade leaned against the inside wall and turned to Beck. Trina set the envelope down and nodded in his direction. "I know I brushed it a little the last time we talked, but…whatever the results are in there, I just want you to know I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Everything." Trina smiled slightly and watched his right hand move over his left, in an attempt to conceal its constant tremble. "Pushing you around, saying things that were, well, less than true. Participating when the others dissed you, and even going along with your stepsister when she'd treat you like shit." Trina chuckled softly and lifted her hand. She wanted to let him know that none of it mattered anymore. "I'm not saying this because there's a chance Jason might be my cousin, I'm saying it because I want to. I know he doesn't like me, I know you don't care for me, but I want you to know what I think."

"Well, no one's perfect, Beck. I'm sorry for using you to get back at Jason. Okay?" He raised an eyebrow and Jade turned the right side of her lips into a small upwards curl. "The whole thing that you, Andre and Robbie went after me for, lying to my Dad in the long run? To 'teach me a lesson'? I was hoping Jason would catch wind of me dating the supposedly most popular guy in school."

"She wanted to make him jealous," Jade remarked, "Didn't work though. He never even knew it happened, right?"

"Right." She crossed her arms and laughed as Jason shook his head. Beck bowed his head, snickering at the memory.

"I didn't see that coming. But yeah, I'm sorry for that." His chest expanded and his brow furrowed as he looked towards Jason. "I don't know if it means much, I wasn't the best person I could be and I apologize for that." Trina shrugged as his eyes darted towards her. "So maybe you can forgive me if you want, but if you don't, I understand. I needed to get that off my chest, though…"

"It takes a big person to admit when they screwed up." She picked up the envelope and smiled politely at him. "I'm over a lot of that, to be honest. So yes, I can forgive you if you can forgive me for using you."

He laughed and quickly nodded. "Yeah. Why were you even trying to get back at him?"

"She still won't let me down for the whole thing with Cat." Jason smirked and poked his thumb in her direction. Jade laughed as Trina straightened her back and huffed before flashing a toothy grin in his direction. "Honestly, I know she's just trying to think of a reason to be mad at me. I forget a lot, but she's the one thing I can't forget." He leaned over, kissing her on the temple. Her cheeks turned bright red and she leaned into him, setting her head on his shoulder and kissing it.

"He forgets a lot of things because of his uncle. Jason's been knocked on the head too many times." Jason laughed while Beck and Jade chuckled in response.

"Beck, honestly, I'll be more than happy to try and help you out or talk to you when I can. If you need anyone to chat with, I'll do that for you." Beck smiled at Jason and Trina leaned upright, pleasantly surprised by Jason's admission. "Cousin or not, it matters." He looked over to Trina and waved his hand in the air. "Go on and pull those results."

"Alright." Everyone held their breath as Trina removed the doctor's results. Her fingers shook nervously on the page and her eyes read in haste the results. There were some matching alleles, enough to confirm a relation. "Beck, Jason, it's confirmed." Her eyes flickered up as the two men looked towards each other. "You guys are cousins."

Jason inhaled sharply while Beck's muscles relaxed. She set the results down on the center of the table for the men to look at. "So." Beck shut his eyes and thinned his lips. "We're related. What now?"

"How do you feel?"

"Exactly the same, just…somewhat relieved." Jade reached over and rubbed his back. "I guess this means I stay the hell away from Mr. Sikowitz. Maybe it was a good thing mom was a-" His voice cracked and he hesitated. Trina reached across the table and pat his wrist, hoping to comfort him with the gesture.

"It's okay. Jason and I will be there for you. Also, while we're at it with the apologies." She shot a sideways glare at Jason and he let out a confused grunt. "I think there's something you need to say to Beck?"

"Seriously? You're not going to let me down about this?"

"Unlike you, I don't forget. You apparently hold grudges."

Jason exhaled and leaned away for a second. "Alright, I know I shouldn't have beat those guys up. I'm sorry for what I did, Beck." Beck laughed and shrugged.

"It's cool man."

"Yeah, but Trina's right, I shouldn't have gone behind her back like that. I'm just used to aggression and agitation, so when she told me what you guys did to her over the years, I was upset. My uncle put forth opportunity and I singled you three out."

"You had every right to be pissed."

"This is true, but I shouldn't have attacked you guys the way I did. Those days are over. Point being, I'm no fighter. Uncle Erwin and Dad may keep trying, but I'll never satisfy them. Doing what I did may have given them the impression that I could be swayed…"

"What do you think I should do? I mean, with Mr. Sikowitz." Beck leaned to the right and rubbed his forehead. "Maybe I should drop his class."

"You may as well finish out the year. You're a senior, so you don't have to deal with him anymore after you graduate. So long as you don't bring up relations, he won't be a problem for you."

"Right. It'll be difficult for me, that's all. I kind of hate the guy right now."

"That's understandable."

"What about you?" Beck pointed from Jason to Trina, then back. "He clearly wouldn't be happy with this." Jason shrugged and Trina reached beneath the table and rubbed his knee, hoping to offer some comfort. His hand moved beneath the table and rested on hers. Jason glanced at her from the side and smiled while squeezing her hand.

"He still doesn't know about us. He may have an idea there's someone in my life, but it hasn't been confirmed."

"I don't know," Jade muttered, "Tori's been going off nonstop about how Trina's at Midwestern. He's bound to hear." Trina's heart stopped and she felt Jason tense. If Sikowitz did hear, it would become obvious for him. The man was an ignorant asshole, but he was no idiot. He knew his nephew well enough to know there was only one woman Jason pined for, and she was supposed to be up north. "She hasn't let up about that fight you two had."

"She hasn't said anything about Jason, has she?"

"Once or twice. She said she was interested in him and you took him, claiming you saw him first at some martial arts camp. Beck and I try to change the subject if we can, and I have been trying to keep her complaints to a minimum if we're in class."

"Keep it that way," Jason huffed, "We don't need him overhearing that Trina's in my life again. He'd be more pissed about that than if it were just any woman." Beck looked perplexed and Jade turned to him, perching her head on the palm of her hand.

"Trina's the one that turned him around, pretty much. She's like the ultimate distraction. Big time. If he knew they were together again, he'd figure there's no chance in hell Jason will do what he wants."

"And I won't let my uncle do a damn thing to her either." His voice grew laced with venom and agitation. Trina felt he blood run cold and the others looked at him with concern. "My uncle can be desperate, he'd do anything to keep her away from me." He stabbed his steak with the fork and raised the bite to his lips. "I may not be a fighter, and I'm not malicious, but if he ever harmed her…the things I would do to him are far worse than what I put you and those two friends of yours through."

* * *

So it is confirmed, but at least things have been said that needed to be said.


	41. Morning Haze

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: Here comes morning sex, oh wait-that's not about to happen. Guess what is. Read on and enjoy:

* * *

Chapter 41 (Morning Haze)

Waking up, Trina felt the warmth of the sun shining down on her face. She was cuddled up with Jason in her bed, once more they fell asleep together. Thanksgiving week gave her some time off from school and time to be alone, neither of them wanted to visit family.

She felt his fingers caressing her arm and looked back at him with a smile. "Good morning," he whispered. Trina rolled over to face him and extended her arm over his side. Her gaze drifted into his strong eyes and her lips turned up into a smile. "Your phone's been ringing from the other room."

"It's probably nothing." She cuddled close to him and brought her knees up between their bodies. His arms clung tight around her and sent shivers through her skin. His warm breath entranced her, soothing her cheeks. "Last night was amazing."

They spent the evening together, playing some card games before watching a movie and cuddling up on the couch. At some point, Jason had some wine, but she couldn't drink since she wasn't yet twenty-one. When he wasn't looking, she snuck a drink from his glass.

When they finished up, they moved to the bedroom and cuddled together before making love. "You know Trina, we really should use condoms." He brushed her hair back and kissed the top of her nose. She scrunched her face at the mention of condoms and shook her head.

"You know I hate the feel of them. Then they're so slimy after you're done."

"Yet I'm the only one touching them." He laughed as Trina shrugged and kissed his jaw. "You are adorable." His hand caressed her cheek and ran down along her shoulder, then brushed her arm making it tremble with his touch.

"I haven't gotten pregnant yet. I hate pills, but I take the birth control pills now. Lindsay insisted. Besides, you know to pull out when it matters."

"Yes, because that's a surefire way to avoid pregnancy." He rolled his eyes and smirked. She ignored the sarcasm and moved her body against his, sighing heavily. "You know, they have these condoms that actually feel natural."

"Why are you so concerned?" She leaned back and looked at him suspiciously. His voice fell flat and his shoulders rose.

"Not that it matters, but my dad kind of knows I'm having sex." Her jaw dropped and she hesitated in case he had more to say. He pushed his elbow into the pillow and set his hand on his head for support. "We had this big argument about women the other day, he said he knew I was with someone-and somehow he pegged it as you. He told me to be honest and asked if we were having sex, because we did back at camp."

"So you told him we were?"

"I started to say no, but the guy's smarter than I credit him for I guess. He told me to make sure I used condoms and not to get you pregnant. It would drive Uncle Erwin batshit." Trina rolled her eyes and moved onto her back, holding her arms over her stomach. Jason gazed down at her and moved his free left hand to her stomach. His gaze pulled hers towards him and her lips curved up. "Mostly though I'm thinking about you. I know what would happen if you got pregnant."

"What?"

"I'm concerned what having a baby would do to your life. You've got your whole future planned out it seems, and having a baby could change everything. I don't know what your family would think about it, though."

"They might not be thrilled, and it would just prove Holly's point. She's wrong though, I've got A's in all my classes. You know I study, so I'm not just having sex and blowing off college." If it made him feel better, she could get used to condoms. He was right, she didn't want to think about having kids at this point. "I don't want kids until I'm married, but if I did have a baby, I would do my best to take care of that child."

She reached up and caressed his cheek, smiling tenderly at his handsome expression. "If it was yours, I know you would be there." He leaned down, kissing her light on the lips. Her body moved upwards as he pulled away and she fell back on the pillow with a sigh.

Her brow furrowed and she pursed her lips as Jason nodded. "Of course."

"Are you worried about what your dad and uncle would think if that happened?"

"Slightly. I don't know if Uncle Erwin would be crazy enough to try and take the baby away from you, but I wouldn't let him do that."

"You wouldn't hurt him, Jason. Don't talk like that. He is still your uncle…" He frowned as she turned onto her side and leaned back into him. "I know you'd be angry if he came after me, but I know you're not violent enough to hurt him. If you were to attack him, you would lower yourself to his standards-and that goes against everything martial arts teaches. Don't lower yourself to your opponent, right? If they use cheap tricks, don't fight using cheap tricks."

"Yeah. I just-" He hesitated and she felt his lean down, kissing her behind the ear. His lips pulled away and a soft breath caressed her once more. "I can't stand the thought of something happening to you. I'm no monster, I'm not what I used to be, but I could very well lose control if I lost you. You're everything to me. You make me a better person in general. It's you that can make me get up and face each day with confidence. I need you in my life." Her heart skipped a beat and she gazed off across the room while curling her fingers into her palm. Her hand came to rest in front of her face and she lowered her voice to a hushed whisper.

"You could go on without me. Seems like everyone could."

"It'd be difficult. Sure in time I might over a long period of time, but I think there would always be a part of me that still holds you close." She pulled her hair back and moved it under her to keep it out of her face. "You're not forgettable, Trina. I'd always love you, and I would always want you in my life. I'd never abandon you, and you know it. Or if you don't, I'll never stop reminding you of it." Her eyes drifted up to him and a blush crept slowly to her cheeks.

"I love you, Jason."

"I love you."

"Should we get dressed?" It looked like it was late morning, so they could get out of bed. "I have all week off, so it doesn't matter. I'd love to stay in bed with you longer…"

"I've got nothing to do today. We can keep cuddling, go out someplace nice, or you know-the day is an open book." She rubbed up against his body, smiling tenderly as his lips lowered to her neck.

"Morning sex sounds nice, but you might want to grab those condoms first." She snapped her fingers and slanted her eyes. "I'd get out of the mood waiting five minutes for you to figure out how to put one on. Not to mention, that morning wood will go away."

He laughed and slid his hand beneath her arm and over her chest, gently slipping his fingers under her bra and cupping his hand around her breast. She let out a gentle sigh and closed her eyes as he began to massage her.

The phone outside rang once more and Jason started to pull away, but Trina grabbed his hand and reached up to kiss him. "Ignore it. I still haven't blocked my family's phone. Holly's a hypocrite, disowning me and then yelling at me for not going to California for Thanksgiving."

This argument happened the night before last, but it didn't faze her. Jason shrugged and continued to kiss down her spine. She arched forward, moaning as his fingers slid along her body.

Seconds after the phone stopped ringing, they heard a startling noise in the front room that sounded like the door striking the wall. Trina's eyes widened and Jason looked away as a man's voice echoed out. "Katrina Vega, we can hear your phone!"

"Shit!" Trina hissed and almost fell out of the bed. She pointed to the walk-in closet and threw Jason's clothes onto the bed. "Get in there and get dressed." Jason raised an eyebrow and looked to the bedroom door.

"I don't recognize the voice."

"It's Uncle George." She didn't know what he was doing here, but one thing she did not want was him finding Jason in bed with her. Jason wasted no time scrambling out of the bed and grabbing his clothes. She pushed him into a hiding spot and hastily threw on her clothes. "Hold on, I'm just getting dressed! I was sleeping."

When she straightened her clothes and brushed through her messy hair, she stepped out to see her favorite relatives waiting for her.

Uncle George wasn't incredibly tall but he had an imposing build. He had a round face with a neatly trimmed grey beard and a balding head with trimmed grey hair circling it. Beside him was Aunt Diane, she had a heavy build and a sweet face framed by her short blonde hair. "Sorry if we woke you up," George responded softly. "We tried calling you and when we arrived we didn't want to just barge in."

"You decided to come up here? Why?"

A girl her age with shoulder length, dyed black hair, walked in through the doorway. "We wanted to see you." Sarah was always dying her hair, and at one point had it purple. "Thought about surprising you, but then figured it'd be best to call."

Trina walked over to the kitchen counter and picked up her phone, chuckling nervously as she studied the screen. "I left my phone out here last night." She looked to the doorway and frowned. "Jonah and Danielle aren't with you?"

"They're still in the car, they're coming." As happy as she was to see them, she wasn't happy that there was no way to sneak her boyfriend out of the apartment. "Danielle went around to try and see if you were still asleep."

"Oh." She looked to her bedroom and her heartbeat flickered. "Wait. What?" With that, Uncle George walked past her. She reached out, but didn't grab him. There was no point in stopping the man.

He stepped partially in the doorway and knocked on the door. "You can come out now, son. We know you're in there." The one time she forgot to close her blinds and it ends up biting her in the ass.

She let her shoulders fall and watched pitifully as Jason walked out of the bedroom. George set his hand to his shoulder and walked him over to the couch. "You sit here." George then pointed to Trina and she bowed her head. "You stay there. I've got something I need to discuss with you."

Just then two more people came strolling in. Jonah and Danielle. Jonah was tall and thin, he had long blonde hair and a chin beard that resembled Chad Kroeger from Nickelback. Danielle had taken to dying her hair like her sister and now had a dark pink, almost purple colored hairstyle that ran past her shoulders. Her face was powdered with too much makeup and she had mascara around her eyes.

"Hey Trina!" Danielle chimed. "How are you?"

"Take a guess," She replied with a tone of embarrassment. Danielle frowned at her and bowed her head.

"Sorry. I didn't know what to say, I only saw you with someone else and they figured it was probably your boyfriend." Trina slid her hands to her hips and drew out a heavy sigh.

"It's fine." She smiled at them and lifted her shoulders up. "It's great to see you guys though." Her eyes drifted to Jason, then over to her uncle. "Uncle George, can I at least sit with him?"

"No, I think you two have done enough this morning." He crossed his arms and Jason tried for a smile, only to grow awkward under the man's gaze. "I want your full attention."

* * *

The cousin Danielle is named that because I based her off my cousin Debbie and couldn't think of any other "D" names to change that name to. So before you say anything-there is absolutely nothing to do with the actor that plays Trina (I hate using actor names in stories). So, tell me what you think of this chapter, and yes, Uncle George is intimidating. I'll give you the next chapter since they're tied together, and this is a bad place to leave you hanging.


	42. Olive Branch Extended

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 42 (An Olive Branch)

"Here's the deal," Uncle George began, "We spoke with your father and stepfamily." Trina paused to take in the news. After a moment's hesitation, she moved into the kitchen and grabbed a banana from the fruit basket. "Holly was pretty serious about what she said."

"We think it's bullshit," Sarah remarked. Aunt Dee shot her eldest daughter a look and Sarah shrugged. "But there's nothing to be one. She wouldn't change her mind." Trina was curious what her father said, since they said they'd spoken to him.

"You said you talked to my dad?"

"He didn't say much," George sighed heavily and shook his head. "Holly did most, if not all he talking. He did say he knew you went to Midwestern instead, that he checked your flight itinerary." Trina's jaw dropped and she gripped the banana firmly in her hand. Her dad knew all along and never said anything? "He didn't want to get into it with Holly though, so he kept relatively quiet. I asked for him to elaborate on whether or not he agreed with his wife about treating you the way she had and he said they gave you a few chances-"

"We're pretty sure that was just Holly talking through him," Sarah interrupted. Her words didn't curb the painful sensation jabbing into her heart. She carefully unpeeled her banana and tried not to show her displeasure. "They said you wanted nothing to do with them for Thanksgiving and they didn't want you around. I'm sorry…"

"Whatever." She took a bite of the fruit and stared down at the counter while her cousin walked around to hug her. "It doesn't matter."

"Well it's clear to me why you didn't visit us," George replied gruffly as his eyes darted to Jason. Jason's eyes widened and he chuckled nervously while Trina merely smiled in amusement. "Anyway, I knew my niece needed someone so we came up to have this talk." She got the sense that there was something he wasn't saying, or hadn't yet said. Whatever it was, she'd handle it with the most grace she could. "Can you get scholarships or grants, Trina?"

"Yes." She already had the Pell grant coming in and applied for scholarships that were coming in. "I've got that stuff coming in, but I may still need a job."

"No you won't." Her eyebrow arched up as George folded his arms across his chest. "Here's the thing, we're going to help you." Her eyes grew as the shock shot through her. She waited for him to repeat himself, as though she didn't hear him the first time. "I've got enough money in the bank. Sarah, Jonah and Danielle are taken care of. There is a catch, though."

"W-" Her voice cracked and she stumbled to catch her breath and speak normally. "What catch?" She watched as her family looked towards Jason. He raised an eyebrow and Trina started to sweat. "It doesn't involve him does it? I don't want to leave him."

"No, no, we wouldn't ask you to do that." George locked his wrists behind his back and Trina was instantly relieved. Her uncle was nothing like Jason's, and for that she was grateful. "However it might affect your relationship. This is nonnegotiable. Your cousin's currently got a dorm at HBU, so her room upstairs is vacant. We want you to move in with us and go to HBU."

A chill ran down her spine and she quickly glanced to Jason. "B-but that's five hours way." She knew Jason would go anywhere he wanted, but she didn't want to make him move. "More than five…"

Jason waved his hand through the air and gave her a smile. "Don't worry about the distance, Trina." She frowned and watched as he shrugged his shoulders and leaned back on the couch. "Distance is nothing. Besides-" He scratched his chin and a crease formed along his forehead. "A change of scenery may do some good."

"You are not moving because I move. Where would you even go?"

"I've got friends down there, and I can get into any college in the country. Don't worry about me, they're doing this for you."

"He's right." George took a deep breath. "We'd be more comfortable knowing you were closer and safe. If your boyfriend does follow you, that's commendable, but there will be rules." He turned towards Jason and lifted his finger. "She's a grown woman, she can be back whenever, but on dates I will know what you two are doing and where you two are. There will be no sexual activity under my roof, either."

"Understood, sir."

"Good."

Trina stifled a dry chuckle and threw her banana peel into the trash. What better protection was there than a protective uncle? Still, she wasn't sure if she liked the idea. It would be great to move in with them, and she could use their help with studying, but she wanted to get her bachelor's degree at Midwestern.

"Can I even get into HBU next semester? It doesn't seem likely this late…"

"It's simple," Sarah commented, "They have a quick application process. All you have to do is apply and send them your transcript and they'll let you know. If you applied right now you could get in." Sarah leaned against the counter and looked to her parents. "We're just worried about you right now with everything going on, so we talked about it and thought it'd be best if you're with us."

"I'm not mentally unstable yet." She laughed nervously and her relatives chuckled. "Can I…talk to Jason about this?"

"Sure," Aunt Diane replied with a smile and motioned to the bedroom, "Go right in."

"But keep the door open," George stated. Trina laughed nervously and watched as Jason carefully walked into the bedroom. She followed after him and sat to his right on the edge of the bed. Her hand landed between them and he curled his fingers around it.

"Are you okay, Trina?"

"I'm worried." She took a deep breath and shook her head. "I don't know what to do. I do not want to lose you."

"You won't. I was being serious when I said I have friends down there. Mom has a brother whose family lives on the north side of Houston. My cousins have said anytime I need a place to crash for a while, I can stay with them." She looked up to his eyes, her lips parted slightly and her eyes drifted down as her nerves choked her words.

"I don't want you to move because of me." Her lip tucked beneath her teeth and she trembled. "I'm not worth it."

"Not worth what? Not worth me 'uprooting my life' and following you? I've got nothing here, Trina. I already told you. Where you go, I go." His hand squeezed hers and her breath caught in her throat. He was being honest when he said he wasn't going to abandon her, but she still didn't want to admit it. "All that is here for me is a bastard father and an uncle that knows where to find me. I was going to move in with my mom's family anyway until you came here."

"You-You were?" A soft gasp left her throat as she studied his intense gaze. Her voice trembled and her breathing trembled. "I didn't think you wanted to leave Midwestern."

His voice lowered and he lifted her hand up, gently kissing her fingers while keeping her gaze in his. "There are many more reasons for me to avoid my uncle and father than there are for you to avoid your uncle and cousins." She lowered her hand and felt her heart skip as tears welled up in her eyes.

How could this be? Her uncle and aunt willing to move her into their home and help her, and her boyfriend willing to follow her? What did she do to deserve this in a world where nobody gave a shit? "Your Uncle George and Aunt Dee, your cousins, they are _great_ people. They even came all the way up here because you didn't go down there. They're offering an olive branch, Trina. Take it."

"But what about?"

"I'll be down there as soon as I gather all my stuff, and you can hold me to that." Jason tangled his fingers with hers. She let her tears fall and bowed her head as Jason raised his other hand to sweep her tears off her cheeks. "I keep my promises. They're the one thing I can't forget. I told you I'd look for you after camp, and I did. I never stopped looking, never stopped loving you. I'm telling you now, I will be with you wherever you are, whether it's Houston or some other place, I will be right there. Count on that, okay?"

She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against the gap where his collarbones met with his neck. His chin sank onto her head and his chest expanded. "Jason. I don't know what to say."

"You know Lindsay's also going to be thirty minutes away from you if you go down there, so it's not like you'll be without your best friend."

"I don't want to leave Midwestern…"

"What's here for you? Can I ask?" She leaned back and looked into his eyes. A smirk curled at his lips and his shoulders rose. "Besides me, of course."

The more she thought about it the more she realized he was right. There wasn't anything here for her. Why should she turn her family away when they were the only people helping her now besides her boyfriend and best friend?

"I don't know. I came here to get away from my family. I didn't even think about it being Lindsay's last semester."

"If you go to Houston." He lowered his voice to a whisper and smiled tenderly. "Not only will you have a shot at a good life with the support of people who do care about you, but there are two people that can't find you. My uncle, and my father."

"If I do go…you and I, we'll be okay?"

"Yes. Nothing is going to come between us, Trina. I promise you that." Her body continued to tremble as she fought past her fear. She'd have to place a lot of trust in her family and wasn't sure if she could do that.

"I stopped trusting my relatives a long time ago, Jason."

"The only way you're ever going to start trusting people is to give them a chance. You know that. Hell, you're the one that told me." He cupped her face with his hand and she furled her brow and nodded slowly. "I know you can make it, you just have to trust yourself. Some bridges it's okay to burn, others you don't need to."

"I love you…"

"I love you too." He pulled her into a hug and she moved her arms around him, her shivering slowly ceased and her eyelids folded over her misty eyes. "It's going to be okay, Trina. Everything will be okay."

She moved her head back and took a deep breath as her hand moved up his chest and curled over his shirt collar. "And you…You promise you'll come? You promise me you're going to be there, I won't lose you?"

"I promise."

"What if your cousins down there say no?"

"Then I'll get a bloody job and find myself a place if I have to. I'm not leaving you in the dust. Trust me, Trina. I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay…okay I think I can handle that." He kissed her trembling lips and held her close to his body. She melted in his strong arms. She could feel his energy strengthening her, building her confidence up. She inhaled deep and pulled back, holding his hand firmly. "As long as I have you, I'll be okay."

"You would be okay with or without me." He flashed a smirk and wagged his eyebrows. "Babe."

She rolled her eyes and smirked back. "Asshole." Her hands planted firmly on his chest and her fingers curled over his strong shoulders. She leaned forward, kissing his lips tenderly. "Come out with me?"

"Well where else am I going to be? I love you, Trina."

"I love you." She heard her uncle call out, asking if they were done. She rolled her eyes and smiled before pushing herself up. She just needed to see where her future would be going after this. "I guess if they insist…I'll be brave and I'll be strong."

They left the room together, her hand clutched his as she looked to her family. Uncle George and Aunt Diane were seated on the couch with Sarah beside them. Jonah and Danielle were standing at the wall. All of them were looking at her, anticipating her decision.

"Okay Uncle George, we've talked it over." She held her breath and slowly exhaled while thinking of the end of the semester. Finals week was coming up in about two weeks, and she was confident in finishing strong. "I'll finish up my semester here and move in with you guys."

"Great," Sarah chimed and flashed a proud smile. "You're going to love HBU. Go Huskies." She smiled back and nodded her head. It was still scary, but she wasn't going to burn bridges with these people.

They weren't the bad guys, they weren't the ones that wanted nothing to do with her. One or two bad seeds didn't mean the entire bunch was rotten, it would take some time to see this, but she was beginning to see truth in that phrase.

Hopefully this would work out, but only time would tell.

* * *

So, it looks like the Uncle and family are stepping up to the plate, they're not giving her a chance to mull around in depression it would appear.


	43. Thanksgiving Day

Fresh Start at Life

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 43 (Thanksgiving Day)

"Aren't you glad Lindsay and your roommates aren't here right now?" Jason teased. Trina shook her head and leaned into him, his arm around her shoulders and his hand was rubbing gently along her arm. To the right in the kitchen area was Aunt Diane, Sarah and Danielle all working to prepare a Thanksgiving meal.

"Yes, I'm glad my boyfriend's the one teasing me about this in place of my roommates." She playfully shoved him in the side and he laughed. Uncle George was on the other side of the couch, occasionally glancing over at the two while watching the fights on television.

"Jason," George interrupted, "What do you think of professional boxing?" Trina set her hand on Jason's chest and looked over as her boyfriend removed his arm and leaned forward, his eyes glued to the television.

"I watch it sometimes, but I couldn't see myself getting into the ring. Some of it's real, but a lot of times you can tell it's staged." Jason flicked his finger out at the boxer on the right. "Take Mantle right there. Just got tapped in the head and he was down for the count. Clearly he threw that match." George rubbed his chin and slowly nodded.

"It did look that way."

Jason leaned back and spread his arms out along the top of the couch, his right ankle crossed over his left knee and his eyes studied the television screen for a minute. "James Robertson is who I would consider one of the best boxers. He's got an exceptional reach and tremendous power in each punch."

"Yeah, he's pretty good. He's no Muhammad, though." Jason's foot shook in air and his shoulders rose.

"True, Muhammad Ali was the best in his time. There's plenty that could be better." Trina looked between the two men and exhaled sharply. Was this how watching pro sports was going to be? Shaking her head, she stood up and moved into the kitchen. Aunt Diane gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Finally gave up on them?"

"I honestly didn't think they would bond over professional boxing. It makes me wonder how football is going to be." She knew the Superbowl was a big thing for Uncle George and the others, and Jason was likely to get involved in viewing the game, so there was a good chance it would get crazy.

A grin spread out on Danielle's face when she turned away from the sweet potatoes. "I love football. I've got a Cowboy's jersey in my closet. You think Jason likes to watch the game?"

"I'm not sure." She scratched her head and looked at the couch. Jason and George were watching the screen with great intensity. "Jason! Do you ever watch football?" Without moving his gaze away, he lifted up a thumb to confirm. She exhaled softly and shook her head. "I'll take that as a yes."

She leaned backwards onto the counter and propped her elbows up on the surface, hanging her arms loosely as she studied her boyfriend and her uncle. "The irony is, his uncle and dad try to force him to be a professional fighter so he hates it and of course will never go that route. Yet he enjoys watching the sports."

"Why are they so adamant about it?" Sarah inquired. "If he's said no multiple times, they should let it be."

"They assume what they know to be best and want him continuing the 'legacy' of fighting. They hope he'll achieve fame, maybe even make them famous in the process." Sarah's face scrunched as Aunt Diane shook her head.

"A lot of those professional fighters end up with a lot of internal damage. They die young too." Her heart sank and she shrugged, still studying Jason.

"I could live with him being a boxer if it were something he wanted to do. The fact is his uncle and his dad want it for the wrong reasons, they don't even think about what he wants. They're violent about it too, or his uncle is…"

"Sounds like he's got a good reason to get away from them, then."

"Yeah. He's going to try and move in with his mom's family up north of Houston. I hope they'll help him out until he gets situated." He made the call, they didn't give him a surefire answer yet but were going to talk about it and let him know. They did say there was a good chance they had room for him, but of course, they had to figure out how things were going to work. "I don't want to be without him. I'm willing to wait for him if it takes him some time to get down there."

"That's admirable."

After the boxing match was over, Jason moved over to Trina. She was working on the rolls. He stepped behind her and put his arms around her waist. "Hey there, Trina. How are they coming?"

"Just buttering the tops before they go back in the oven." She leaned her head back and quickly kissed his jaw. "How was the game?"

"It was good. Your uncle and I set up a wager on who would win the match. Turns out his guy won. I lost about twenty bucks." She laughed as his head bowed.

"Uncle George takes his sport viewing seriously." She spread some butter on the top of the final roll and lifted the tray carefully. Jason opened the oven door for her and she slipped the bread inside. "I'm glad you two bonded over something, though I'm surprised it was pro boxing."

"Eh, I don't mind watching. Boxing, Football, whatever it is, I'll watch as long as I'm not participating. Your uncle asked if I ever played Tiger Woods Golf." His brow furrowed and he blinked multiple times. "I asked what exactly that was and he just grinned."

Trina covered her smile and stifled a laugh. The golf game was on the Playstation console, her uncle would play it constantly and was the best player in the family. He loved challenges though. "It's a video game on a console. The grin just means that one day he's going to sit you down and force you to play it with him, and promptly beat you." Jason's face dropped and he looked to George with a slight chuckle.

"I see. I've never had time for videogames, so I wouldn't be surprised if he could beat me. Do any of your cousins play videogames?"

"Typically Jonah, he's the best gamer in the family." Jonah loved playing Legend of Zelda, as that was his favorite ever since he was a child. He was great at Super Mario, Smash Bros, and almost every videogame Trina ever saw him play. "I used to play videogames with him whenever we all got together, he kicked my ass every time, and still can."

"Sounds tough."

"Yep. Jake and Justin also play a lot of competitive games. Sarah's usually doing puzzles, so I'm more apt to work a puzzle with her whether it's putting together pieces or doing a crossword. Danielle just does whatever she feels like."

"Family get-togethers are usually pretty fun, then?"

"Oh they can be." She turned around and drifted her arms around his neck, gazing into his eyes with a bright smile. "You might actually enjoy seeing how they work. Though, I don't know if we're all getting together this year or if you would even be able-allowed-to come."

"I don't see why not," Diane answered while walking up to the two. Trina separated herself from Jason and furrowed her brow at her aunt. "We're all getting together at John's and Sonya's for Christmas again this year, though I think your grandparents have decided not to come down this year. I'm sure John and Sonya could accommodate Jason if he doesn't have family he wants to visit for the holidays."

"Oh that's okay," Jason lifted is hands up, "You don't have to do that."

"Could we ask Uncle John?" Trina perked up at the suggestion and pulled Jason's arm downwards. "I'd love to have Jason see how the holidays are."

"Tri…I don't want you or your family going out of their way for me if they don't have to."

She put her hands to her hips and raised an eyebrow at him. "And what would you be doing over the holidays? Waiting for Mr. Sikowitz and your father to come hassling you?" He crossed his arms and lowered his shoulders with a heavy sigh.

"I was thinking more along the lines of packing and getting ready for a move."

"So you wouldn't even spend Christmas with your other relatives? I don't want you to be alone for Christmas."

"I'm used to it."

"I'm used to feeling like it also, and I know it sucks, so I'm not letting that happen. We'll call Uncle John and see if he and Aunt Sonya can make room for you. If Grandma and Grandpa aren't going to go, then that clears up a bedroom."

George looked over from the couch and cleared his throat, "Just to clarify…" The others turned his way. "If they allow that, you and your boyfriend will _not_ be sharing a bedroom." Jason rubbed his neck and Trina smiled while rolling her eyes. "You can share a room with your cousin. Jason will be sleeping on the couch."

"Sounds good to me, sir." Jason wasn't going to argue, and Trina respected that. Even if he did try to argue, nobody argued with Uncle George and won. He was one of the smartest people in the family, once had a job with BMC and got laid off-but had enough saved up that he took a self-retirement. If Jason knew what was good for him, he'd keep being as respectful as he was being.

"You'll like their house, Jason." He looked at her curiously and she flashed a quick smile. "They have a balcony patio, a large backyard, and the house is just one story. Uncle John's a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force, so the house is something the military gave him."

"Sounds like it's a pretty good deal. Let's not get excited before they talk to him, though. We don't know what he'll say about me since I'm not a part of your family."

"I'm sure they'll be okay with it, Jason. Besides, I want you to be there. I'd be okay either way, but it would be nice to share the holidays with you." It would be their first Christmas together and she didn't want to waste it.

"We all go down on the 20th," Diane informed, "So there is some time. We'll talk to John and Sonya to see what they say." Diane pat Jason's arm and smiled politely at him. "It would be good for you and Trina to share Christmas together if John allows it. His and George's parents can't make it this time, so there _is_ room. If you're not spending the holidays with your family, spend it with us."

Jason folded his arms and smiled slightly. "Well, if there's no chance of Uncle showing up with my dad…one thing I know is I don't want them mixing with you guys."

George scoffed and waved his hand in the air, "We can take care of ourselves just fine. You worry about yourself and your girlfriend. Make her happy if you can." Trina beamed with pride and Jason gazed back into her eyes, softening and nodding his head.

"Of course I want to be there with you. If your uncle lets me." She practically jumped for joy. Trina threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight and earning a grunt from him. He kissed her forehead and turned his head. "Just ask him if he would prefer me to be there or if he'd like for me to have a hotel room, I still don't want to inconvenience anyone."

Sarah walked past them, patting him on the back. "You're not inconveniencing anyone. Just bear in mind, Uncle John is kind of stern." That was to be expected of someone with Military background. Though the thing Trina thought best to warn about was the vibe that Uncle John and Aunt Sonya gave off, seemingly brushing everyone off.

Everyone that knew the Cowen family knew that George, Diane, and their kids were 'the' relatives. They were the more popular, more talked about, more dominant relatives while John and Sonya were hardly ever discussed. So they did have some clear jealousy, but they never outwardly said anything.

With the recent disasters Trina had with her family, she wanted Jason there for support if she did start to feel brushed off or ignored by her other Uncle and Aunt. She did not need any more doubts.

* * *

Thanksgiving day sounds fun.


End file.
